ASLI and Ahmed Case Study

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  Journal Video Asli and Ahmed

  The this video Journal follows my thoughts and feelings towards the case study below it also my thoughts and feelings are based on authoritative literature inclduing text books and journal articles so please enjoy and if you have any questions or you want to talk to me more about the casestudy please contact me on twitter @Johto_88 Thanks 

  
  

  Case Study Asli 19 year old female 

  Refugee from Somalia

  Asli left Somalia with her Mother, her younger brother Ahmed, her Mothers sister and two cousins after her Father and elder bothers were kidnapped and are now feared dead.   They lived in refugee camps in neighbouring Ethiopia for 8 years, in this time Asli's Mother died.   Eventually the family were granted humanitarian visas by the Australian Government and moved to Brisbane. Another Aunt and Uncle who live in Brisbane agreed to sponsor them. Asli was 14 years old, her brother Ahmed was 11. They now live in Moorooka with the Aunt and Uncle as well as her other Aunt and cousins who lived in the camps with them.  Asli and her family follow the Muslim faith, they attend Mosque regularly and follow religious traditions.  

   Asli attends Yeronga State High School and enjoys learning, although finds it difficult as her schooling was very disrupted in the camps.   She is trying to complete year 12 and hopes to enrol in a Certificate of Community Work at TAFE next year.   She also works part time at Target. Asli is strongly connected to the Somali community in Brisbane.

  Two months ago, while walking home at 9 pm from a late shift at Target she was attacked and raped. She now believes she may be pregnant.  Asli has told no-one about the attack, she is afraid it will bring shame on her family. She thinks they would believe she should not have been walking alone so late. She is particularly afraid of her Uncle's reaction; he sponsored Asli and her brother, and at times will use that against them. She has been traumatised by the attack and it has bought back memories of the violence of the camps and the horrors of her Father and brothers disappearance. She had believed that in Australia she would be safe. Asli has not sought any medical or legal help following the attack.

  She has come to you after finally telling one of her friends at school who was concerned at the change in Asli over the last couple of months. Asli doesn't want to talk to anyone from the African community.
• Housing

  
  

  Despite your very best efforts to support Asli in getting a pregnancy test, she has not done it, she is simply too afraid. But, she is also concerned that if she is pregnant it will be discovered, therefore she can’t stay at her Uncle and Aunt’s house. The house is also very crowded and she is unable to study. She does not want to ask anyone from her community for help due to the possible pregnancy. She is receiving Youth Allowance and works part time at Target but cant afford private rent, so is looking to move into supported accommodation.  Asli wants to move with her brother, he is 15 years old. He and their uncle clash a lot and Asli feels it is her job to look after him, she has taken on a parent role with him since their mother died despite being only a few years older.
• Crime

  
  

  Asli brings Ahmed to see you, he was picked up by the police following a violent clash between African and Anglo young people at the train station. Ahmed wasn’t involved, he was picked up while walking home unaware the fight had happened. This is not the first time he has been questioned by the Police over nothing. Ahmed got very angry with the police and abused them, he is now facing charges over the incident.
• Education

  
  

  Asli, without having a test discovers she is not pregnant, she is relieved, her delayed period was likely to be due to the trauma of the attack.  She is thinking about talking to her Aunt about it but she isn’t sure yet.

  Asli’s has always had trouble with school, years in a camp doesn’t provide a good educational foundation. However since the attack and with her concern about Ahmed her school work is really suffering. Her teachers are supportive to a point, but she is in year 12 and has to keep up if she wants to pass. Failing is not an option, her Uncle would be very angry, especially as she is the eldest and the first to go through school.

  Ahmed is increasingly not going to school and is hanging out now with the boys from the train station incident. Asli covers for him when his Uncle questions him about how he’s going.

  Despite the pressure from her Uncle, Asli is pleased she did not move out, especially given how Ahmed is travelling.
• Employment

  
  

  Asli comes to see you as she is worried about her job at Target.  Asli has been employed as a casual for almost 3 months and has been seen as a good worker, her boss has even commented on her approach to work. Because Asli has been really struggling at school and getting behind in her schoolwork she has knocked back a couple of shifts recently so she could focus on catching up and getting ready for upcoming exams. This week she rang to see what shifts she was on and was told they had not rostered her, that it was obvious she wasn't interested in working there anymore. Asli is devastated at the thought she might have lost her job, she enjoyed the job despite the juggle with schoolwork, and the family need the extra money she brings in. 
• Health

  Ahmed comes to see you, he didn’t know who else to go to. He confides in you that he is worried about Asli, he hears her crying out in the night. He starts to talk about his memories of the camp and the way Asli looked after him, protected him. He is shaking as he talks, his words come haltingly. He says Asli shielded him from some of the worst things, but he remembers that she was sometimes taken away and came back very quiet, she cried out in her sleep then too. Ahmed gives you permission to tell Asli he has spoken to you. You have been wondering if this conversation might come, and how you might handle it. That night (not for the first time with these two) you lose sleep.
• Leisure, culture, public space

  
  

  It has been a big week, you have been having some conversations with Asli that you find really challenging. There is a Somali community festival on the weekend. Asli invites you to come. She will be working at one of the stalls but is happy for you to drop by and say hello. A few of you from work decide to go. At the festival you see Asli at the stall, she looks happy, more relaxed than you’ve seen her for a while. Seeing this reminds you how important Asli’s community is to her and you wonder how you can work with her to talk to them about her nightmares and even about the attack. You notice a few support services have stalls, so you collect some info.

  You also notice that Ahmed is not there, as you leave you see him and a few other African young men sitting around the corner. They appear to be drinking, you decide not to approach him.
• Technology

  
  

  Asli comes to see you; she is really upset and angry. She has just received a $680.00 bill for her mobile phone. She tells you she has always been really careful about using the phone and really only carries it for safety. She had thought the bill might be a mistake until she realised that Ahmed had been using her phone and the calls were his. She is really angry at Ahmed and has no idea how she can pay the bill, especially since she isn’t working.  She also shows you some texts on there that Ahmed has written that concern her.
• Ending

  
  

  While you feel reasonably confident in your capacity to work on the issues that keep coming up for Asli and Ahmed you know there are much deeper issues that have not really begun to be addressed. You have mentioned QPASTT before but Asli and Ahmed haven’t been keen to follow it up, Asli has been worried about community and family finding out.

  However Asli is recognising that she needs counselling, that the night terrors aren’t going to go away. So together you have made a referral for her to the QPASTT counsellors, she asks you to go with her to meet them. They acknowledge her concerns about people knowing what’s going on for her and try to allay her fears. After that first visit you see that Asli has made a connection and she is happy to go back.

  After the festival Ahmed’s Uncle realised that Ahmed was not doing well. Ahmed tells you his Uncle talked him into signing on to the QPASTT soccer team, hoping it will give him something to do and maybe meet some other friends. Ahmed has been training and tells you he really likes it, and that some of the other boys have been through similar stuff. Ahmed also thinks he might go to the homework club, but isn’t sure yet.  Ahmed's court date has been postponed, Ahmed tells you he has told his Uncle about it and he will go with him. Ahmed is still hanging out with a couple of boys from the train station crew but not as much, he’s pleased his Uncle didn’t throw him out for drinking and doesn’t want to disappoint him by getting into trouble again. He says his Uncle told him he might get locked up if he's seen with the boys from the station.

  You reflect on this past two months and all the work you’ve done together; and all that these two have given you. You know that they have a long road ahead but feel very privileged to have been part of the journey.

  
  

  
  

  
  

young people and the impacts of media constructions

There is a competing paradigm in the media’s representation of youth.  When it markets beauty products for example, it emphasises the importance of looking and being youthful. However when it markets young people as a group, the media generally perpetuate negative stereotypes of young people. This paper will critically analyse a media article by looking at theoretical aspects of young people that could be applied. It will consider the tone of the article and   also consider the impacts that these stereotypes and theoretical perspectives have on young people. It will also consider an alternative portrayal that the media article could take on  young people.

The media article chosen comes from the Gloucestershire Echo in the UK. It labels a teenage boy as a feral. This is similar to a recent string of media reports done by channel Seven’s Today Tonight program (Today Tonight, 2012).  The article from the Gloucestershire Echo uses words and statements like ‘Feral ‘and ‘These crimes are made even more serious by the fact that you are 12 and 16’ (Gloucestershire Echo, 2012).   Young people are often perceived by the media in a negative light rather than as competent citizens (Checkoway et al, 2003).  The use of the language like that stated above shows newspaper’s representation of young people as portraying a position or perspective through language (Simpson, 1993).   The problem is that media perspectives and representations like this one can quickly filter into the political and public domain (Omaji, 2003).   Journalistic ethics pride themselves on fair and balanced accounts (Ward, 2009). This article however lacks some details about social factors that can affect young people’s offending behavior, including such factors as family issues, ethnic background, mental illness, drug use and intellectual capacity (White & Wyn, 2008).  This information may provide a better background to what was happening with that young person at that particular time and there are many theories to account for young people committing crimes.

A sociological theory that can be applied throughout this news article is that of Merton’s theory of deviance.  Merton argues that deviance is caused by the interplay between society structure and culture. It builds on and critiques the idea of functionalism (Blackman, 2007).  The key ideas that functionalism asserts is there are just some things that people need to do to survive, such as getting a good education (source).  Merton shared these views but also added that sometimes structures may not always be able to fulfill the needs of the person causing the problem to arise (Blackman, 2007; York & Marcus, 2009). Give an eg of such problems (outside of the article)  to demonstrate your understanding of this point.  The media article has some clear parallels with Merton’s theory as it portrays the clash of ideals between the dominant ideology of the establishment and the young person as rebelling against society through the criminal acts as is evident in the magistrate’s comment  "A charge of an offence such as this would take many respectable people's breath away...” yes, the key issue here is the use of the word respectable – unpack that word to give your argument more strength.

This media article quite clearly labels the young people in the article as ‘Ferals’. However due to the lack of academic resources it is hard to construct a theoretically based image of what a feral is. The only definition available describes the feral subculture as ‘sporting ‘a shaved head with crusty hair out the back, kinda anti-intellectual’ Good quote  J (Edwards & Mercer, 2008).  This raises the idea that the newspaper is trying to explain their  actions through the subculture that they have assigned them.  Subcultures can be formed on the basis of music and recreational activities  (White & Wyn, 2008).  In some instances certain subcultures can be problematised (Carrington, 2009). This was evident in post war Britain when subcultures between young people became highly visible which in turn created a moral panic and in turn public space became a contested area of young people’s subcultures (teddy boys) and police (Carrington, 2009).  The media article makes reference to a sub-cultural group ‘ferals’and paints the picture of the young person as a transient drifter ‘it seems like he lives a feral lifestyle in the sense that he has not been staying at home’.  The Newspaper questions his lifestyle and labels it within a particular sub cultural group ‘feral’. Some academic literature suggests that feral subculture is based on peoples’ standing in the labour market, political views and looks (Edwards & Mercer, 2008; Gleder, 2007; John, 1999). There is a lack of research in this field that links the feral subculture with criminal activity. It would seem that the newspaper used subculture as way of defining the young person as a deviant and used language to portray them and a particular subculture in a certain perspective (Simpson, 1993).  This is good, but could be restructured to make your point clearer. It jumps around a bit and therefore becomes a bit repetitive.

Stories like these do not only have an impact on individual young people but can have far wider effects on them as a group. As mentioned above, Omaji (2003) explains that media bias can quickly filter into political and public domain. This can impact on young people greatly as media bias and public opinion can filter into the political arena and can affect policy and legislation that is used to police young people. This is shown by moves towards things such as naming and shaming and mandatory sentencing rather than other options such as more socially focused polices such as ….(Omaji, 2003).  Adams (as cited in Omaji 2003, p. 3-4) comments that he is disgusted that policies such as those mentioned above are being used more often and quotes the bible in saying what ever happened to “love your enemy”.

Negative labels and stereotypes are formed when we consistently associate them with certain traits and preconceived ideas (Bernburg & Krohn, 2003).  Negative labels and stereotypes such as those within the media article can alter young people’s self concepts of who they are (Anderson & Schoen, 1985).  Labelling and stereotyping young people can also substantially alter a young person’s life course especially if they have been labelled as deviant. This reduces opportunities for a normal life in the functional sense (Bernburg & Krohn, 2003).  Bernburg and Krohn (2003) also discuss that labeling and stereotyping have been indirectly linked to negative behaviour because of the opportunities missed due to the label or stereotype. Good, now link it back to your article – to what extent might labeling have played a part for these young people?

One of the issues this article ignored was the social factors that could have been impacting on the young person’s behavior.  As mentioned above the article did not discuss any of the social factors that can impact on young person’s offending behaviors (White & Wyn, 2008). In order to have a balanced argument these factors should have been included.  There is evidence to support the family and community environments impacting on the offending behavior. Andrews & Bonitas (2010) longitudinal studies found there is a greater likelihood for young people being involved in criminal activity if their families are involved in crime.  The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) supports the idea of investing in socio-economic status of communities but also takes a functionalist view of assisting young people to grow out of their offending behaviors explain further …(Richards, 2011).  Studies of young person’s behaviour have tended to focus on the individual rather than broader society wide aspects (Rutter, Giller & Hagell 1998).  This goes against White and Wyn’s (2008) notion of looking at young people and crime in a holistic manner. Some of the issues that the article could have looked at included the socio-economic status of person, family issues and drug use (White & Wyn, 2008; Auther, 2005).

The second point that could be argued is that this media representation is not a true reflection of young people and further analyses that the media portrayals of young people such as this can affect attitudes, beliefs and actions of young people and adults (Checkoway et al, 2003). This has been demonstrated in the United States where studies found New York Times coverage over represented young people’s involvement in crime at a time when crime rates for young people were falling (Figueroa et al, as cited in Checkoway et al, 2003).  This study showed that peoples’ attitudes reflected media coverage and a majority of Americans believed that the youth crime rate was on the rise (Figueroa et al, as cited in Checkoway et al, 2003).  The article focuses on the young peoples’ behaviour but does not go to any lengths to tell readers that the UK has successful early intervention programs that has seen crime rates and recidivism of young people at their lowest levels  a good point to make – links well with discussion above re NY Times article. (Ashford, 2007).  This media article does not attempt to put youth crime into perspective White and Wyn (2008) state when young people are charged with an offense it usually is for offenses like riding a train without a ticket, noise complaints and destruction of property. As explained by Simpson (1993) this media article uses language to state a point or position but when looking at an article like this it seems that it is based on community ideologies rather than based on academic evidence.  These last two points while good need to be examined further to ensure they don’t read like they were just added at the end.

This essay has considered how the article has constructed an image of young people. It then used ideas from different theoretical perspectives to describe young people and their actions. It then looked at the impacts that these perspectives can have on young people as a group and as an individual. Finally it produced an alternative view of young people. Overall the article emphasizes a representation of young people to perpetuate society’s stereotypes through language which presents a negative connotation to society of an already marginalised group.

Reference list

Anderson, D. B., & Schoen, D. F. (1985). Diversion Programs: Effect of       Stigmatization on Juvenile/Status Offenders. Juvenile and Family Court            Journal 36(2).

Andrews, D. A., & Bonita, J. (2010). The Psycholgy of criminal conduct Lexinexis             Group :New Jersey

Ashford, B. (March 2007). Towards A Youth Crime Prevention Strategy.  England,             UK Justice Department. Retrieved from           http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/youth-            justice/prevention/TowardsAYouthCrimePreventionStrategy.pdf

Authur, R. (2005). Punishing Parents for the Crimes of their Children. The Howard         Journal, 44(3). Retrieved from          http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/doi/10.1111/j.1468-            2311.2005.00370.x/abstract

Bernburg, J. G., & Krohn, M. D. (2003). Labelling, Life Chances, and Adult Crime:           The Direct and Indirect Effects of Official intervention in Adolescence on      Crime in Early Adulthood. 41(4). Retrieved from

Blackman, S. (2007). Youth Subcultural Theory: A Critical Engagement with the Concept, its Origins and Politics, from the Chicago School to Postmodernism.      Journal of Youth Studies, 8(1). Retrieved from    http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13676260500063629

Carrington, K. (2010). Offending youth: sex crime and justice Sydeny The Federation      Press

Checkoway, B., Richards-Schuster, K., Abdullah, S., Aragon, M., Facio, E., Figueroa,      L., . . . White, A. (2003 ). Young people as competent citizens. Community      Development Journal, 38(4). Retrieved from

            http://cdj.oxfordjournals.org.ezp01.

            library.qut.edu.au/content/38/4/298.full.pdf+html

Edwards, F., & Mercer, D. (2008). Gleaning from Gluttony: an Australian

            youth subculture confronts the ethics of waste. Australian Geographer, 38(3). Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00049180701639174

Gelder, K. (2007). Subcultures: cultural histories and social practice New York Routledge

Gloucestershire, Echo. (2012 ). "Feral" teenager from Cheltenham, 16, admits      burglary, from http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/Feral-teenager-admits-           burglary-s-16/story-16547513-detail/story.html

Johns, G. S. (1999). Alternative Cultural Heterotopia: ConFest as Australia’s          Marginal Centre. Doctor of Philosophy, La Trobe University. 

Omaji, P. (2003 ). Responding to youth crime: towards radical criminal justice         partnerships. Marrikville NSW: Hawkins Press.

Richards, K. (2011). Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice: What makes    juvenile offenders different from adult offenders?  Australian Institute of   Criminology, Canberra

Simpson, P. (1993). Language, Ideology and Point of View. London: Psychology Press.

Today, Tonight. (2012 ). Underage street crime, from     http://au.news.yahoo.com/today-            tonight/lifestyle/safety/article/-/13960117/underage-street-crime/

Ward, S. J. A. (2009). Philosophical Foundations for Global Journalism Ethics.     Journal of Mass Media Ethics, 20(1). Retrieved from          http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15327728jmme2001_2  

White, R., & Wyn, J. (2008). Youth and Socitey: Exploring the social dynamics of youth experince (2nd ed.). Melbourne: Oxford university press.

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Good Resources for social work practice

Australian Association of Social Workers Practice Standards (2003).

Australian Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics. (2010).

Allan, J. (2003 ). Theorising Critical Social work In J. Allan, B. Pease & L. Briskman (Eds.),

Critical Social Work an introduction to theories and practice. Crows Nest: NSW Allen & Uwin.

Berger, P. L., & Luckmann, T. (1967). The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge. The University of California: Doubleday.

Bould, D., Keough, R., & Walker, D. (Eds.). (1984). Reflection: Turning experince into learning. London: Kogan

Bowels, W., Collingridge, M., Curry, S., & Valaentine, B. (2006). Ethical Practice in socal work: An Applied Approach Sydeny Allen and Unwin

Carrington, K. (2010). Offending youth: sex crime and justice Sydeny The Federation Press

Chenworth, L., & McAulifffe, D. (2005). Road to Social Work and Human Serives Practice: an intoductry text South Melbourne Thomson.

Crane, P. (2003). What happens to ‘Big Ideas’ at the front line of human services : the case of service user rights. Doctor of Philosophy, University of Queensland, Brisbane

Dominelli, L. (2004). Social work: theory and practice for a changing profession. Cambridge: Polity press.

Dorfman, R. A., Meyer, P., & Morgan, M. L. (2004). Paradigms of Clinical Social Work: Emphasis on Diversity (Vol. 3). New York Brunner-Routledge.

Dozier, M., Stoval, C., Albus, K. E., & Bates, B. (2001). Attachment for Infants in Foster Care: The Role of Caregiver State of Mind. Child Development, 72(5), 1467–1477.

Eraut, M. (1994). Developing Professional Knowledge And Competence. London Routledge

Hemingway, C., & Maclagan, P. (2004). Mangers personal values as driver of corporate social responsbilltiy Journal of Business Ethics, 50(1).

Hepworth, D., Rooney, R., Rooney, G., Gottfried, K. S., & Larsen, J. (2010). Direct social work practice : theory and skills (8th ed.). Belmont: Brooks/Cole.

Howe, D. (1979). Agency Function and Social Work Principles. British Journal of Social Work, 9(1)

Hudson, J. D. (1997). A model of professional knowledge for social work practice. Australian Social Work, 50(3), 147-169.

Jabiru youth and children services induction booklet (2011)

Ife, J. (1997 ). Rethinking Social work: Towards Critical Practice South Melbourne Addison Wesley Longman.

Lynn, R. (2001). Learning from a ‘Murri Way’. Britsh Journal of Social Work 31(6).

Miller, A. B., & Keys, C. B. (2001). Understanding Dignity in the Lives of Homeless Persons American Journal of Community Psychology, 29(2 )

Nemetz, P. L., & Christensen, S. L. (1996). The Challenge of Cultural Diversity: Harnessing a Diversity of Views to Understand Multiculturalism. The Academy of Management Review, 21(2).

Payne, M. (2005). Modern social work theory (3rd ed.). Chicago: Lyceum Books, Inc.

Sanders, J., & Munford, R. (2005). Authentic Relationships Possibilities for Social Work to Make a Difference for Children and Young People. Childrenz Issues, 9(1).

Specht, H., & Courtney, M. E. (1995). Unfaithful Angels: How Social Work Has Abandoned Its Mission. New York: The Free Press.

Trevithick, P. (2005). Social Work Skills: a practice handbook (2nd ed.). Berkshire: McGraw-Hill Education

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A Critical Analysis of The Coffs Harbour city council crime prevention and safety plan

In Australia, juvenile offender rates are almost double the rate for adults (Australian Institute of Criminology, 2008; see appendix 1). Young offenders are most likely to commit offences because of non-conformity and acting against social control, opting for a method of 'self control.' In the eyes of authorities and the general public, this is fracturing social bonds in Australian society (Western, Lynch & Ogilvie, 2003). Other theorists have tried to explain youth crime in Australia as a reflection of a much deeper struggle over economic resources (Omaji, 2003). Authorities have attempted to address this offender rate and possible underlying causes through various federal, state, and local policies. This essay will review a local plan, the Coffs Harbour City Council (CHCC) crime prevention and safety plan 2008- 2011 [CHCCSP]. The document’s purpose is to help police and local councils develop a coordinated response to community concerns and reduce incidence and fear of crime in the council’s area. While this document is supposed to take all age demographics into consideration, it seems to be primarily focused on the ages 12-25 years. The document also makes several assumptions about youth crime. The document does address key issues, such as the lack of access to public space for young people, early intervention strategies and mentoring. However, there are concerns about the role of police in public spaces and the lack of consideration regarding youth workers and legal advice. This document has made some attempt in discussing youth crime and has some really good options in relation to young people, but it also has some flaws which will be discussed in this essay.

The crime prevention and safety plan was tabled by CHCC in March of 2008 and it developed upon a previous plan, which expired in 2001. The main purpose for the plan was to create a sense of safety amongst community members and to develop an action plan to combat crime. It seems to be primarily focused on crimes committed by young people, aged 12-25. The document outlines its future strategies. It details research, planning and prevention rather than punishment for young people. This plan is set to be reviewed frequently, to see if the local council and other stakeholders are meeting the proposed goals. Some goals of this plan indicate that strategies, such as mentoring programs, need to be established for offenders and those at risk of offending. Other specific strategies include: developing partnerships between council and organizations; introducing education programs focused on problems of underage drinking; developing safe places for young people to ‘hang’ on Friday and Saturday nights rather than attending beach parties; organizing inexpensive activities to foster engagement; offering ‘get skilled’ workshops, which target at risk youth and are run by police and juvenile justice department; and raising awareness that supplying alcohol to underage drinkers is illegal. These are proactive strategies developed by the council and local stakeholders. However, a concern regarding this document’s strategies is the lack of solid age limits to define who these strategies are aimed at. According to Hudson (1997), it is important to define age limits as it helps to easily and specifically adapt the program for a particular targeted group. The CHCCSP defines youth crime as crimes committed by young people aged 12-25. This conflicts with the Young offenders Act 1997 (NSW) (see Appendix 3). The document describes youth crime problems as malicious damage caused by young people; violence amongst young people; public nuisances. In addition, it describes beach parties as a major problem because the large gatherings of young people (up to 500 people) include a large percentage of intoxicated underage drinkers. The document details that beachside residents in communities such as Sawtell, Park Peach, and The Jetty are often abused when walking past these gatherings. The document also suggests that a great deal of crime is committed when youth are walking from the beach back into the CBD. The document represents the majority of youth crime as being caused by: boredom, lack of affordable youth activities, and the lack of affordable transport to and from the city of a late night/early morning. These are some of the premises for youth crimes being committed and the explanations offered by CHCC to why youth crime exists in the local area.

The document’s assumptions about youth crime relate to its focus that young people are committing crime due to being excluded from society and public space, by not having safe affordable or engaging places to hang out. According to Malone (2002), there are not many public spaces available to young people because of political views and media spin. Omaji (2003) further explains that media bias can filter quickly through the public sphere and dominate ideology. White (1998) stresses the importance of making public space more accessible to young people; he lists ways that public space can be managed better to benefit both young people and the wider community. These include communicating directly with young people, while being non-judgmental, establishing links with young people, having an attitude of conciliation, and dealing with rule breaking fairly. The other assumption this documents makes is that if we identify those people who are most likely to commit crime, successful intervention will make it less likely that they would commit crime. The plan breaks the early intervention programs down into two categories. One program is for young people in general (for example, education workshops in schools around alcohol) and preventive programs for those who are at risk of offending (for example, the ‘get skilled’ program). Studies in Europe have shown that prevention seems to be more effective than imprisonment (Blyth & Soloman, 2009). These proactive strategies are based on assumptions that prevention is more effective. The assumptions about youth crime, made by the document, have resulted in three strong approaches.

Three key strengths of this document are its consideration of the availability of public space for young people; its promotion of early intervention strategies; and its focus on peer mentoring. A major strength of this document is its consideration of the lack of public space available for young people. It takes into account barriers that may prevent young people from accessing public space such as money, transport and general scrutiny from the public and it identifies ways to address this issue. It is valuable that this document takes into account the lack of public space available to young people, because providing access to public space can encourage young people to express themselves, to socialise with peers, to be engaged within the community space, without much cost to the young person (White, 1990). However, there are barriers to giving young people access to public space. This is evident in Pearson’s (1983) study into hooliganism, which shows it is easy to create a moral panic about young people as deviant and engaging in activities that are perceived as wrong or socially unacceptable, in areas of public space, which are aside for young people. A recent example of this is on the southside of the Coffs Coast a news article about a skate park (Mixed views on skate park , 2010; see appendix 2). Views like this, make it difficult to create public space for youth because they can trigger heavy political scrutiny on the use of public space (Pearson, 1983). In response to this the document does recommend educating the general population about public space, what it means and what they can expect from young people in designated spaces. While giving access to public space is a good start, the literature suggests that combining access to public space with other strategies, such as early intervention programs, would increase the effectiveness and the benefits provided by access to public space (White, 1990).

The second major strength of the policy document developed by CHCC is that it has a focus on early intervention strategies. The document splits the early intervention programs into two categories. It recommends education programs for young people in schools, such as raising awareness about the effects of alcohol and drugs. It also targets programs at young people at risk of offending (for example the ‘get skilled’ program, which links young people with opportunities for education, drug rehabilitation, and training). Early intervention with young people has shown to be effective to some extent in reducing youth crime (Cunneen & White , 2011). In Norway, there is evidence that early intervention appears to be working. However, the United Nations Human Rights Commission has warned that intervention strategies need to fit the specific crimes and that one intervention strategy is not appropriate for all contexts, such as in Norway (Wolf, 2004). Some of the intervention strategies involve one on one mentoring.

Another strength is the significant focus on mentoring young people who are at risk of offending or who have committed an offence. The CHCCSP includes agencies, such as PCYC, Juvenile Justice and Tafe outreach support, to refer identified young people to a mentoring program. This mentoring program would be established and operated by an independent body. The projected outcomes are to lower the number of young people participating in crime. Researchers have reported that one on one mentoring is generally effective with young people, who have or are at risk of entering the youth justice system (Flaxman , 1988). A key feature of mentoring is that a mentoring program requires significant planning (Dubois, Hollway, Valentine & Cooper, 2002). It is evident from the CHCCSP, that considerable planning has been undertaken in relation to their mentoring program. American research, suggests that people who participated in a similar program, experienced positive outcomes, including reduction of antisocial activities, an improvement in grades and engagement with school, better outcomes with building trusting relationships and were more open in seeking emotional support (Bilchik, 1997).

While there are several strengths within this document, there are also some flaws, which require consideration. These include: the scope and definition of young people; the unclear role of police in public spaces for young people; the lack of consideration regarding youth workers and improving access to legal advice for young people. These aspects are currently undermining a largely strong plan. Addressing these concerns could enhance the usefulness of this plan in preventing crime on the Coffs Coast.
The definition of young people in this document differs from that of the NSW legislation. There needs to be awareness that youth or young person is a recent construct; children throughout history have been treated as adults. Definitions, such as youth and young people, have existed for around 150 years (Skelton & Valentine, 1998). Unfortunately, constructs of young people can be distorted, factual information can be misinterpreted, and characteristics wrongly attributed to certain age demographics. Further still, this generic construct of young people can also lead media outlets to portray the wrong demographic as having the issue (Jewkes & Letherby, 2002). Consequently, an age bracket that ranges in 13 years difference is in conflict with data analysts, who suggest narrowing the focus to obtain precise information (Raudenbush & Bryk, 2002). The Coffs Harbour city council crime prevention plan’s definition of young people seems to be too broad and may have attributed to some flawed data within this plan. This could have contributed to an inaccurate reflection of youth crime in the Coffs Harbour area. The document could be improved by including more specific definitions of young people and the methodology used for collecting the data.

Another key flaw within the CHCCSP is the strategy to place more police in young person related public space. The issue is not that the police are located within public space, but that it is unclear what the role is of the police in these public spaces. It is difficult to speculate on reasons for the absence of this information. However, research suggests that in general young people do not have a good relationship with police. White & Alder (1994) conducted a longitudinal study considering whether young people knew their rights when dealing with police. The sample was taken from young people at schools, youth centers, and public spaces. The results, based on interviewing the sample of young people, indicated that 80% said that they had been in contact with the police before; 33% admitted to being ‘roughed up’ by police; 28% stated their rights were not read to them; 21% said they were allowed to make a phone call; and 70% were abused or sworn at by police. Furthermore police have significant powers over young people in public spaces (Law enforcement powers Act 2002 (NSW); see Appendix 3).

The final weakness is that the policy does not make any provisions about youth workers or access to legal advice for young people. Youth workers’ involvement with young people can be vitally important because youth workers complement youth justice frameworks. Their preventative, rather than dentition, focus can be extremely beneficial for young people (Muncie, Hughes & McLaughlin, 2002). Youth workers’ roles can include: assisting young people to comply with court orders, assisting young people to connect with other related services, maintaining records of program attendance, and providing assistance in the case planning processes. (Youth workers your career in the department of communities: youth justice service center QLD, 2010) .To have a complete framework for a strong youth justice policy, in addition to youth workers, access to legal services for young people should be provided. If a young person is in conflict with the law, legal professionals, such as solicitors, can offer legal advice whereas youth workers can only provide legal information(Youth Advocay Center, 2010).This would also reduce the financial barrier to young people avoiding detention, if there was access to free legal advice.

The CHCCSP provides a solid plan to address youth crime. Particularly, because of its focus on accessible public spaces for young people, early interventions to prevent youth crime, and one on one mentoring within the community. However, there are three aspects which should be considered to make the plan more effective and equitable for young people. Firstly, the definition of ‘young people’ needs to be more specific, to match current legislation and reduce negative constructs. Secondly, the role of police needs to be clarified within the document, especially in relation to public spaces. Finally, the document should make provision for access to youth workers and free legal advice for all young people.





Appendix 1
Juvenile offender rates have generally been twice as high as adult ones. The offender rate of juveniles decreased from 1996–97 to 2003–04, from 3,965 to 3,023 per 100,000 per year. It increased in 2005–06, and again in 2006–07, to 3,532 per 100,000. The adult offender rate peaked in 2000–01, at 2,100 per 100,000. In 2006–07, it was 1,492 per 100,000, the lowest rate recorded. (Australian Instuite of Criminology, 2008)

Appendix 2 Mixed views on Skate Park

8th June 2010 Coffs Coast Advocate

Residents near the new skate park at Nambucca Heads are not happy.

IT has won a huge thumbs up from the town’s youth but the Nambucca Heads skate park is proving far from a hit with its immediate neighbours.

Just a year after it was opened, the park has been described by the Meadow Crescent residents that overlook it as a haven of bad behaviour.

They expressed their ongoing concerns at last week’s meeting at the Nambucca Shire Council  in response to a council-conducted audit which they claim painted a picture which is far rosier than reality.

Long term resident Jim Teasel said the lack of adult supervision at the park had forced some neighbours to capture the antics of unruly youth on film and video as proof of the behaviour.

“I’ve tried to reason with the kids that go to the skate park about bad language and using the bushes as a toilet but I’ve been abused,” Mr Teasel said.

“It wasn’t my retirement plan to be involved in the surveillance of a skate park but the problems there are real.”

Mr Teasel said he was confused and disappointed with the audit report summary which did not allude to anything but minor issues attached to the park.

“Why weren’t the residents involved in the review when people I know that aren’t at the park after hours or on weekends were?” he asked.

Mark Novicky said the audit was little more than a band-aid that allowed council to pass the buck.

“The park is poorly cared for and poorly supervised,” Mr Novicky said.

“Council had other options at the time but now must admit it made the wrong decision to put the skate park opposite a quiet residential area,” he said.

Defence of the park and its users came via local skater Daniel Duong who said it was proving a big hit with local kids.

“On weekends and after school it is often full,” Mr Duong said.

“It is a great place for kids to gather and develop their skating skills and to meet and interact with youth workers,” he said.

“I know nothing about drinking, drug use or vandalism down there and believe the troublemakers are not skaters.”

That opinion was reiterated yesterday by all five skaters at the park.

“This is the best thing that’s happened for young people in this town,” Jack Grant said.

“There are no lights so we can’t use the park when it gets dark and in all the time I’ve been coming here, I’ve never heard from any upset residents,” he said.

On Thursday night Councillor Brian Finlayson doubted that a council recommendation to install a rubbish bin and replace existing signage about acceptable behaviour with larger and more effective signs would prove effective.

“I do not believe the problems are being caused by legitimate skaters and this recommendation will do nothing to help the residents,” he said.

In moving a motion for council rangers to bring forward a report on attendances and discipline issues at the park, Cr Mike Moran lamented its impact on the neighbourhood.

“From the word go, council turned a blind eye to this issue and left residents swinging in the wind,” Cr Moran said.“Going on what we’ve heard, I’d have to say these people aren’t living in Nambucca Head the are living in hell

Appendix 3

Young offenders Act 1997 (NSW)

1(4) a person who is of or over the age of 10 years and under the age of 18 years.

Law enforcement powers Act 2002 (NSW)

(3)87 Has the power to disperse groups

(14)197 Give Directions generally in relation to public space

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