Hon Robin Chapple questions the Attorney General regarding the provision of Community Justice Services to Fitzroy Crossing residents, particularly those on community-based orders and without reliable phone access. The Attorney General clarifies the services provided and their accessibility.

AnsweredQoN 1170Legislative Council
Asked
20 August 2009
Portfolio
Attorney General

QuestionView source ↗

(1) Are there Community Justice Services staff in Fitzroy Crossing?
(2) If no to (1), -
(a) how is intervention and support that is required to assist people convicted of an offence to change their behavior, provided to Fitzroy Crossing residents convicted of an offence;
(b) can the Attorney General explain how a person convicted of an offence and resident in and around Fitzroy Crossing could properly be placed on a community based order; and
(c) why are residents of Fitzroy Crossing and surrounding communities not provided with access to the same community justice services and programmes as people resident in other areas, including other remote regional areas?
(3) Can the Attorney General describe what ‘supervision’ is available to people on community orders who are resident in and around Fitzroy Crossing who do not own a permanent and reliable telephone with reception?
(4) Can the Attorney General describe what ‘progammes’ are available to people on community orders who are resident in and around Fitzroy Crossing who do not own a permanent and reliable telephone with reception?
(5) If there is no supervision and no programmes available to people on community orders who are resident in and around Fitzroy Crossing who do not own a permanent and reliable telephone with reception, is the issuing of fines or imprisonment the only option available to the Magistrate to impose on a person convicted of an offence who resides in or around Fitzroy Crossing?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
13 October 2009
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Attorney General
Response time
54 days
(1) No.
(2)(a) Community and Youth Justice (CYJ) Staff, (namely, Community Correction Officers and Youth Justice Officers), service Fitzroy Crossing each fortnight for up to three days at a time. They provide court advice and supervision to offenders and young people, utilising brief intervention counselling. Referrals are also made to the Kimberley Drug Service Team and the Kimberley Mental Health service.
(b) The appropriateness of imposing a community based order as a sentencing option is a judicial determination. CYJ staff are available to the court to provide, on request, verbal and written Pre-Sentence Reports which advise on sentencing options and the availability of potential intervention options.
(c) Although there is no permanent office at Fitzroy Crossing, CYJ officers attend fortnightly. In addition to supervisory and court duties, officers monitor three community work projects in Fitzroy Crossing and regularly visit projects at four outlying communities, namely, Bayulu Community, Noonkanbah Community, Yakanarra Community and Wangkatjungka Community. Staff work in conjunction with the other service providers (as per 2a).
(3) CYJ Staff travel to communities to undertake supervision, including the monitoring and recording of court ordered community work hours.
(4) Programmes accessible by referral, subject to the availability of providers, are drug related, mental health related, brief intervention counselling, family relationships/counselling/relationship education, dealing with conflict, skills training, community development and community education activities.
(5) Supervision and programmes are available as described in (3) and (4).
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