annual report 08-09 - Public Interest Advocacy Centre

ACCESS TO JUSTICE
PIAC assisted by collating and analysing the data, writing sections
of the report and organising its publication and distribution. The
findings of the study confirmed that young people are in the
courts for minor bail breaches and detained on remand due to the
lack of community resources, without regard to the nature of the
offence. The final report will be available in September 2009.
The project also works towards resolving systemic problems
identified in the policing and court processes that lead to
unnecessary arrests. Discussions with NSW Attorney General’s
Department took place in relation to systems for transferring
information (about bail conditions, for example) from the courts
to police.
During the year, PIAC met with staff of the Department to discuss
the scope of the problem. This was followed by a request for
an investigation into policing and information management
problems resulting in young people being detained on the basis
of outdated bail conditions. A detailed case study based on
information from NSW Legal Aid was provided to the Department
that demonstrated the systems failure.
Public attention through the media, particularly youth programs
on the ABC, increased attention on the situation of young people
in detention in the second half of 2008. Media enquiries were
referred to specialist legal centres and the Chair of the YJC. A
communication plan was developed for the release of the study
on bail conditions and young people.
In the previous financial year, PIAC made a submission to the
Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services
in NSW. The submission focussed on the link between children
in care and the juvenile justice system. The Hon James Wood
released his report In November 2008, which confirmed
the systemic problems experienced by juveniles in need of
community services. The chapter dedicated to this issue made a
recommendation about NSW Government responsibility for caring
for young people on bail or leaving detention.
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INDIGENOUS JUSTICE
PIAC’s Indigenous Justice Program (IJP) continues to benefit
from the generous support of the private law firm, Allens Arthur
Robinson. The funding from Allens enables the employment of
one full-time senior solicitor in the IJP and the publication of the
IJP’s newsletter, Talkin’ Justice.
The IJP also receives considerable support from Allens for PIAC’s
Stolen Wages project with lawyers from the firm (and other PILCH
member firms) assisting claimants to recover unpaid government
wages from the Aboriginal Trust Fund Repayment Scheme.
AAP Image/Simon Hughes
Juvenile detention ... ambulance officers at the Acmena Juvenile
Justice Centre in South Grafton.
PIAC congratulates Allens on the launch of its Reconciliation
Action Plan that expands the firm’s already significant contribution
to the Indigenous justice sector.
PUBLIC INTEREST ADVOCACY CENTRE • ANNUAL REPORT 2008-2009