Social Work Now, Issue 32, pages 23-27.
The goal of the youth offending programme developed at Lower North Youth Justice Residential Centre in 2004 was to reduce reoffending among young people after their time in the residence. The key objective was to teach young people the skills to make choices that are less likely to result in their reoffending, and the programme was designed to target intervention with young people completing supervision with residence orders. Mike Garland, of Changemaker Consultants, developed the programme with assistance from residential staff Raymond Lightband and Lee Waitere.
Recent research highlighting factors likely to lead to effective programme outcomes was considered in the design. Reports on youth offending, including the 2002 Ministerial Taskforce Report and the Government’s Youth Offending Strategy, were also reviewed. One point reiterated by both these reports was the need for comprehensive and intensive interventions for serious young offenders. Child, Youth and Family identified the need for effective targeting of interventions with high risk recidivist young offenders as one of seven priority areas in response to these reports in its Youth Justice Plan released in 2002. A review of the Department’s Residential Services Strategy in 2003 referred similarly to the need for youth justice services to focus on achieving effective outcomes with young people.