The State Government has announced $415,000 in funding for community crime prevention initiatives aimed at tackling youth crime in the Kimberley.
Police Minister Michelle Roberts made the announcement during a visit to the Kimberley this week.
The funding is being made available to support organisations to implement community crime prevention initiatives developed at a local level.
$215,000 is being allocated to the Emama Nguda Aboriginal Corporation for the Derby Night Patrol program.
Derby Night Rangers is a youth focused street patrol service to address youth offending by picking up young people found wandering the streets at night and transporting them to places of safety.
$150,000 has been granted to Agunya Limited to implement the Broome Purpose for Life Program – an alternative education program designed to divert young people away from offending and recidivism.
The initiative will target a number of offenders who are due soon to return to Broome after incarceration at Banksia Hill juvenile detention centre.
The intention is to engage these young people in meaningful activity, therefore diverting them away from the otherwise predictable cycle of offending.
$50,000 has also been allocated to Telethon Kids to implement the Kimberley Yawardani Jan-Ga Intensive Model – a 10-week equine assisted learning program for Kimberley Aboriginal young people.
The program has been designed to integrate healing, Aboriginal leadership, research and cultural enterprise to provide opportunities to Kimberley Aboriginal people.
Kimberley District Police, in consultation with the West Kimberley Justice Services, will identify priority participants and refer up to four Aboriginal young people to engage in the program.
As stated by Police Minister Michelle Roberts:
“The McGowan Government is keen to support programs such as these which help address the underlying causes of offending.
“These programs are locally driven, engage positively with high risk young people and involve them with activities and opportunities to develop their life skills.
“We remain committed to supporting programs targeted at diverting young people away from a life of crime.”
