Why Community-based Support Remains Critical In Youth Justice Reform
New national data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) highlights the growing complexity of youth justice in Australia. Youth justice supervision can include community-based orders such as supervised bail, probation, parole, and other structured forms of support, as well as detention.
The latest Youth Justice in Australia 2024–25 report found that 9,579 people aged 10 and over were supervised at some point during the year, while 4,147 were under supervision on an average day.
While fewer young people are under supervision on an average day than five years ago, more are still coming into contact with the system overall.
Behind these figures are young people facing a wide range of challenges, including family instability, trauma, mental health concerns, substance use, housing insecurity, disrupted education, and disconnection from support networks. The report also reinforces the continued overrepresentation of First Nations young people in the youth justice system, highlighting the need for responses that are culturally safe, trauma-informed, and focused on long-term support rather than short-term punishment.
The data offers an important reminder that youth justice is not only about legal systems and detention facilities. It is also about the environments, relationships, and opportunities available to young people before, during, and after they enter supervision.
Most young people are supervised in the community
One of the clearest findings in the report is that most young people under supervision are not in detention.
On an average day in 2024–25:
- 81% of young people under supervision were supervised in the community
- 21% were in detention
Community-based supervision allows many young people to remain connected to family, education, and local services while still being accountable within the justice system.
This reflects a long-standing principle in Australian youth justice that detention should be used as a last resort. Research consistently shows that maintaining connection to community, stable relationships, education, and therapeutic support can play an important role in reducing further harm and supporting long-term recovery.
The report also found that although relatively few young people were in detention on an average day, nearly half of all supervised young people had experienced detention at some point during the year. This highlights how many young people move between different forms of supervision, often during periods of instability and uncertainty.
Many young people in detention are unsentenced
Another significant finding was that 80% of young people in detention on an average day were unsentenced.
This means many young people in detention are awaiting court outcomes or sentencing decisions rather than serving a sentence after conviction.
Periods of remand can still involve major disruption to a young person’s life, including separation from family, interruptions to education, loss of routine, and increased stress or uncertainty. For young people already experiencing trauma, disadvantage, or substance use issues, this instability can further affect wellbeing and future outcomes.
The report reinforces the importance of early intervention and support pathways that aim to prevent young people from progressing further into the justice system wherever possible.
Early intervention remains central to long-term outcomes
Across Australia, youth justice policy directions increasingly focus on:
- early intervention
- alternatives to detention
- reducing reoffending
- trauma-informed care
- culturally safe service delivery
- support for young people and families before offending escalates.
This reflects growing recognition that young people involved in the justice system often have complex support needs that cannot be addressed through punishment alone.
Stable housing, access to education, mental health support, alcohol and other drug treatment, positive relationships, and consistent daily structure can all influence a young person’s ability to move forward safely and successfully.
Programs that focus on rehabilitation and recovery aim to create environments where young people can rebuild trust, strengthen coping skills, reconnect with community, and develop healthier pathways for the future.
First nations young people continue to be overrepresented
The report again highlights the significant overrepresentation of First Nations young people within the youth justice system.
Although First Nations young people represent a small proportion of the overall youth population, they accounted for:
- 56% of young people aged 10–17 under supervision on an average day
- 62% of young people in detention.
Nationally, First Nations young people were around 20 times more likely to be under supervision than non-Indigenous young people, and more than 23 times more likely to be in detention.
The report acknowledges the historical and ongoing impacts of trauma, cultural dispossession, forced removal policies, and disconnection from family, community, and culture experienced by many First Nations communities.
Addressing overrepresentation requires more than justice reform alone. It also involves investment in culturally safe programs, early support, family and community connection, health services, education, housing, and long-term prevention strategies.
Looking beyond the numbers
The latest youth justice data highlights that many young people under supervision are spending shorter periods within the system overall, yet more young people continue to come into contact with supervision each year.
These figures only tell part of the story.
Behind every statistic is a young person whose future may be shaped by the support, stability, and opportunities available to them during difficult periods of their life. Community-based support, rehabilitation-focused programs, trauma-informed care, and long-term recovery pathways all play an important role in helping young people move beyond cycles of disadvantage and build safer, healthier futures.
As youth justice discussions continue across Australia, the report reinforces the importance of approaches that focus not only on supervision and detention, but also on connection, rehabilitation, and the conditions that support long-term positive change.
