August 5, 2019

Police praise UOW students for domestic violence prevention recommendations

Students design app for young people, in a bid to reduce reoffending rate

A collaboration between police, the justice system and the University of Wollongong is set to make a positive impact on youth crime rates.

Earlier this year, police from Wollongong and Lake Illawarra partnered with Youth Justice and students from UOW to develop innovative solutions to reduce the risk of reoffending by young people and reduce the number of young people breaching AVOs.

Most of UOW's team at Youth Justice Headquarters in Wollongong on Friday. 

As part of their studies, a group of 10 second and third year students were asked to find solutions to reduce reoffending, and ensure young people and their carers understood conditions of AVOs and the support services available to them. Police provided a brief and linked them up with a children’s court magistrate to ground them with a better understanding of the justice system.

On Friday 2 August, the group of students presented their findings and recommendations to a panel of senior police and Youth Justice Coordinators from the Illawarra/Shoalhaven Taskforce to Reduce Domestic Violence Reoffending.

The students have recommended the development of an online app. The app will connect users to support services such as an online chat forum, legal aid and social housing, AVO information, information on court processes, videos about the consequences of domestic violence, and domestic violence coping strategies. Students have advised it should be introduced to offenders in the first follow-up consultation after an arrest, as offenders may be shaken up and emotional upon the initial arrest. The Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences at UOW will work to develop the app.

High-ranking police all ears at the presentation on Friday.

Juvenile DV offenders sometimes have trouble understanding the conditions laid out in an AVO which could lead to breaches, so UOW students also recommended using a simplified visual handout. Another team of UOW students from multi-disciplinary backgrounds work to design the handout in Spring Session, 2019.

They’ve also proposed a mentoring program, Good Company, to be run from the PCYC, which would link community members and organisations with youth at risk of breaching AVOs, providing rewarding outlets, and trusted counsel and instruction and support.

Students including Lauren Abdilla, Genevieve Fuary, Cynthia Ha, Caitlin Hamer, Emma Hawken, Jeffrey Howard, Georgia Koster, Adam Stroud, Miyuki Suzuki and Kirsty Wood were presented with a certificate of appreciation from the NSW Police Force on Friday.

UOW students present their recommendations to Police and Youth Justice decision-makers.  

“I don’t think you realise the impact you’ll have,” Wollongong Police District Commander, Superintendent Chris Craner told the students.

“We believe a collaboration of this nature can make a significant difference in reducing reoffending rates among our young people.”

Lake Illawarra Police District Commander, Superintendent Dean Smith said the impact of domestic and family violence across all communities is devastating for victims.

“For youth who are involved in these incidents as victims or perpetrators, it is critical that there are appropriate support services and information to assist them,” Superintendent Smith said. “The work by the students on the development of the app and information packages allows us to better connect with our youth and provide them with the tools and information they need to make better decisions, as well as providing a level of support during difficult times.” 

Acting Area Manager for the Wollongong Youth Justice community office Kylie Patterson said a number of the ideas put forward by students are already in the process of being actioned.
“Youth Justice are committed to addressing a reduction of domestic and family violence for youth and are hoping further collaboration can achieve this as a Premier’s priority,” Ms Patterson said.

Some UOW students will continue their work as consultants, focusing on app development and the AVO handout, to provide context to the next cohort of students.