For more information:

COMMUNITY JUSTICE GROUP CONFERENCING PROGRAM10 Dawson St, Brunswick 3056Tel: (03) 9387 1233 Fax: (03) 9387 1178Email: brosnan@jss.org.au

Brosnan Youth Services Community Justice Group Conferencing program Supporting young people to make amends for their offending

Our mission: Standing in solidarity with those in need Expressing a faith that promotes justice

Our values:

• Welcoming – forming strong, faithful relationships

• Discerning – being strategic about how we can have the greatest impact

• Courageous – standing up boldly to effect change.

The central feature of our work is relationship: forming relationships as a basis for effective intervention – and that intervention is focused on building people’s capacity to be in relationship with others and to be able to participate in our community.

It means forming relationships that allow people to trust again and to imagine and realise other possibilities for themselves.

We don’t give up on people.

Jesuit Social Services works to build a just society by advocating for social change and promoting the health and wellbeing of disadvantaged young people, families and communities.

Community Justice Group Conferencing is a program of Brosnan Youth Services. Since 1977 Brosnan Youth Services has been a leader in advocating for effective, humane services that assist young people to make a successful transition from custody to the community.

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Your support

As an independent voice for causes that are sometimes unpopular, Jesuit Social Services relies on support from the community to run our programs, start new ones where we see unmet needs and advocate for social change.

You can help us build a just society by funding a program, making a donation or joining our Community Partner program. All contributions are tax deductible.

Jesuit Social Services 371 Church St Richmond VIC 3121

Tel (03) 9427 7388 Email jss@jss.org.au Web www.jss.org.au

Jesuit Social Services is a work of the Australian Jesuit Province operating under an independent Board of Directors as an incorporated organisation.

www.jss.org.au

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What is Group Conferencing? Group Conferencing is a program based on restorative justice principles.

The aim is to bring together the young person who has offended, their family, community members and the victim of the crime to discuss ways for the young person to make amends for the harm done by the current offending behaviour.

The program provides the Children’s Court with an alternative pre-sentencing option that aims to divert young people from further or more serious offending. It operates across the Melbourne and Metropolitan Children’s Courts.

Who is it for? Young people aged from 10 up to 18 years at the time of the offence who have:• Pleaded guilty or have been found guilty of offences

that do not include homicide, manslaughter, sex offences or serious, crimes of violence; and

• Committed offences serious enough to warrant a probation or youth supervision order to be considered by the court; and

• Consented to participate; and• Been assessed as suitable by a Department of HumanServices,YouthJusticeOfficer.

What happens in a Group Conference? A Group Conference provides a safe environment for all people affected by an offence to come together and:•Talk about what happened•Discuss how they were affected•Decide how to make things better

The young person is provided with an opportunity to apologise.

The young person and their supports prepare a proposed plan about what should happen to make amends for some of the harm to the victim and to prevent further offending.

Who comes to a Group Conference? •The young person•Family and/or supports of the young person•The Victim or his/her representative•Family and/or supports of the victim•Legal representative •Police informant•Community members•The convenor

•To encourage young people to take responsibility for their offending behaviour

•To enhance the rights of victims•To provide the young person with an opportunity to

make amends to the victim and community•To provide a voice for everyone who is involved and

affected by an offence•To strengthen support relationships for the young

person and help prevent further offending •To involve those most interested and affected by

the offending in the decision making process and enhance their satisfaction with the criminal justice system

•To provide culturally appropriate intervention•To develop an outcome plan that supports all of

these objectives and aims

What Community Justice Group Conferencing offers

Who comes to a Group Conference?

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