There has been a dramatic drop in youth crime on a Northern Territory island, which elders attribute to justice reinvestment programs which have seen the community and young people working together.
Justice reinvestment programs redirect funding that would be spent on incarceration towards diversion and early intervention programs, to steer young people at risk away from ending up in youth detention.
In 2018, the communities of Groote Eylandt were empowered through local decision-making agreements which gave them control over housing, education, economic development, health, local government and law and justice.
Police data showed young people aged between eight and 17 years old have been involved in far fewer crimes since then, with decreases in every category, including property damage, break-ins and assaults.
In 2019 there were 108 thefts reported to police by young people, but in 2021-22 that had dropped to just a single recorded case of theft. It was a similar story for break-ins, where there was 81 reported incidences of unlawful entry with intent, burglary or break-in in 2019, compared with just two cases reported over the past 12 months.
The data included multiple communities on the island: Alyangula, Angurugu, Anindilyakwa, Bickerton Island, Groote Eylandt, Woodsville and Umbakumba.
The turnaround comes as NT police report increased crime in some mainland communities, with 40 extra police sent to Alice Springs last week despite community concerns the extra police won’t address the reasons behind antisocial behaviour.
People on Groote Eylandt reported a lack of support services and mentoring programs, but that changed in 2019.
One program, Gebie Gang, originally supported young people who had come into contact with the justice system, but has evolved into a youth mentoring program to support young people disconnected from work and school, and provides practical support and activities such as cooking, health, fitness, spear-making, short courses and getting driving licences.
The small island, home to about 2,500 people across several communities, has seen crime levels decrease from 346 offences recorded in 2018-19 to 17 offences recorded by local police in 2021-22.
Local elder Elaine Mamarika said the results of the programs were a welcome surprise.
“I was shocked when I saw one day, but it’s made me proud of my community and what my community is doing,” she said.
Mamarika is part of the Strong Women’s group on the island and is a senior leader in another program called Peacemakers, which helps mediate disputes or concerns between families, youth and community members.
“We just sort of doing the good teamwork now if there is any problem in community, and that is how we deal with that, talking to the youth and family,” she said.
Mamarika said keeping young people on country and in their communities was contributing to the success.
“It’s very important, we have to tell stories about their country, which kinship they belong to, like a family tree,” she said. “These are the sorts of things that we have to talk to the young people so they understand and see where they belong within the families.”
The NT police officer in charge of the Alyangula and Carpentaria district, Sr Sgt David Hamlyn, welcomed the change and said empowering local communities is key to addressing social problems.
“These figures are extremely pleasing,” Hamlyn said in a statement.
“Local community solutions are imperative in driving behavioural change and the programs being implemented across Groote Eylandt are reflective of the positive changes being brought about through the local decision making agreement initiatives.”
Justice reinvestment programs in up to 30 communities across Australia are being supported under an $80m federal government election commitment.
Groote Eylandt locals believe similar projects could show the same results in other communities around the country.
“Every community is different, but they’ve all got many of same problems with young people and the elders all want to make a better life for their kids,” Hugh Bland, an anthropologist with the Aninlawka Land Council, said.
Several months ago Mamarika and senior members of the Peacemakers group flew to Yuendumu in central Australia to share their experiences and knowledge with Warlpiri elders and community.
“We shared how we did it in our community,” she said.
“We have to heal the relationship between the elders and the youth and trust comes into that too. They put our trust in ourselves and we have to put our trust in them.”
