Tuesday, 29 June, 1999
ROADWORTHY TICK FOR CAR-CRIME YOUTH PROGRAM
- NAPTHINE
Reformed road warriors have joined police, parents, employers and others in hailing the success of a crime prevention and rehabilitation program aimed at 15 to 19-year-olds, the Youth & Community Services Minister, Dr Denis Napthine, said today.
Launching an evaluation report on the Hand Brake Turn program, Dr Napthine said this Care & Communication Concern agency initiative succeeds in giving young offenders or would-be car thieves a hand to break their cycle of behavior and turn their lives around.
Motor vehicle theft costs Victoria an estimated $135 million a year, with 82 per cent of cases involving troubled young people aged 14 to 23.
Preventative measures include bringing young repeat motor-vehicle offenders and at-risk teenagers who have an intense interest in cars, into programs such as Hand Brake Turn.
“In its four years at Dandenong, Hand Brake Turn has led to more jobs for participants, saved $335,000 a year in Youth Allowance payments and cut reported reoffending rates,” Dr Napthine said.
“Teenagers said they particularly valued the 10-week course for its sense of belonging, teamwork, workplace skills, tangible achievements and the opportunity and help they received to find work in their chosen field.
“The consistent view was that Hand Brake Turn gave participants work-related skills, made them more employable and improved their personal development in areas such as communication, confidence, anger management and attitude to work.
“Before the course, 66 per cent of participants were unemployed but, after completing it, 73 per cent either had a job or were training for one.
“This is indeed a turnaround in vocational opportunities,” Dr Napthine said.
Dandenong Community Safety Committee’s key role in Hand Brake Turn’s success by promoting shared ownership and involvement could become a model to other communities struggling with similar social problems, the Minister said.
Research indicates that young people who have jobs are less likely to commit offences, and that employment and involvement in training are safeguards against criminal activity.
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The practical, intensive program provides accredited vocational training in the motor vehicle industry for 84 young people each year, and involves community groups, the Victoria Police and Casey Institute of TAFE.
“An excellent example of community involvement is that local businesses provide young people with chances for a week’s work experience during the course,” Dr Napthine said.
“They are also introduced to the idea of real-life victims of motor vehicle theft. Harm to a victim is made good by participants restoring a damaged car, which is donated to a victim during the graduation ceremony.
“The evaluation report indicates that the $450,000 a year it costs to run this program is money well spent.”
Sponsors include the motor vehicle industry, Victorian and Commonwealth governments, Victoria Police and Australian Youth Foundation.
“By sharing the cost across government and business - both big and small - we more effectively share responsibility for our communities’ future direction,” the Minister said.
“Of course, dollar amounts are not the only costs involved when young people are jobless, lose hope and get into trouble with the law.
“In the long run, we all pay dearly for this problem, with a breakdown of our social fabric and increased crime. Hand Brake Turn is an excellent example of the shared government, industry and community response to this challenge.
“With this intervention program already replicated in NSW, crime prevention funds clearly are a worthwhile investment,” Dr Napthine said.
NOTE: Time & venue of Dr Napthine’s launch - 9.15am today (Tuesday)
Hand Brake Turn office, 7 Hilton Street, Dandenong.
Media inquiries:
Genevieve Atkinson, Minister’s Press Secretary, tel. (03) 9651 5799 or 0407 367 694.
Steve Pivetta, Department of Human Services, Media Unit, tel. (03) 9616 7055.
Internet:
(F: Press99/HandbraketurnDN/sp/29.06.99)