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Follow the Child

A child doesn't enter youth justice by accident. They are failed by schools, missed by disability services, raised in poverty, and known to child protection — long before they are locked up. This report traces the pipeline across 360 communities.

Contained CampaignJusticeHubROGS 2015-2025
$12.8B
Total 10-Year Spend (All States)
$8.1B
Detention Spending
$4.1B
Community Supervision
511
Evidence-Based Alternatives

Five Structural Failures

The system doesn't fail randomly. These patterns are structural.

Failure #1The Incarceration Premium

For every $1 spent on community supervision, $2 is spent on detention. Evidence universally shows community-based approaches are cheaper AND more effective.

$8.1B
Detention
vs
$4.1B
Community
Failure #2The Community-Controlled Gap

Community-controlled organisations receive 59% smaller grants on average than non-Indigenous providers — despite serving the populations most impacted by justice system contact.

Community Controlled
65 orgs
$38.3M total
$311K avg grant
Non-Indigenous
422 orgs
$816.7M total
$756K avg grant
Failure #3The Geography Trap

Major cities receive 37x more funding than Remote + Very Remote combined — despite remote communities having the highest rates of youth justice contact.

Major Cities of
$673.8M
230 orgs
Outer Regional
$96.4M
108 orgs
Inner Regional
$65.8M
99 orgs
Very Remote
$12.9M
30 orgs
Remote
$5.6M
17 orgs
Failure #4Evidence Without Funding

These 9 programs have proven effectiveness or Indigenous-led authority but no matching justice funding in our database.

Youth Engagement Grants

Community-LedVIC

Indigenous-led (culturally grounded, community authority)

Moorditj Koort (Strong Heart) Youth Program

Cultural ConnectionWA

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

Youth Justice family-led decision making

Cultural Connection

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

Youth Justice Indigenous Support

Cultural ConnectionQLD

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

Youth Yarnz After Dark

Cultural ConnectionQLD

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

Central Australia Justice Reinvestment Initiative

Justice ReinvestmentNT

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

Youth Engagement Grants

PreventionVIC

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

Relationships Australia QLD Family & Youth Counselling

Therapeutic

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

Micah Projects Youth Support

Wraparound Support

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

Failure #5The Revolving Door

These entities receive youth justice funding while also holding government contracts and making political donations. Multiple influence vectors = structural power.

EntityVectorsDonatedContractsJustice $Score
Life Without Barriers
$39K$1.5B$467.4M18
The Smith Family
$27.2M$1.3M16
Mission Australia
$400.5M$118.6M16
Central Queensland University
$1.3M$8.0M$31.7M16
Griffith University
$1.5M$81.7M$16.8M15
BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL
$16.4M$2.5M$6.6M15
Department of Justice
$920K$14.1M$5.2B14
The University Of Queensland
$2.3M$326.6M$26.8M13
Department of Justice & Community Safety
$6.7M$3.4M$10.0B13
Department of Health
$259K$47.8M$143.5M13

Procurement Accountability

ANAO Report 40 (2024-25) assessed Indigenous procurement compliance across federal portfolios. Youth justice organisations hold federal contracts subject to the Commonwealth Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP).

3,371
Federal Contracts
by YJ Orgs
2,343
MMR-Applicable
(70%)
123
Community-Controlled
MMR Contracts
$13.3M
Community-Controlled
MMR Value
PortfolioCompliance RateCompliantExemption RateExempted Value
Attorney-Generals20%1/540%$200.0M
Education100%10/1082%$1.5B
Social Services100%22/2257%$300.0M
Source: ANAO Report 40 (2024-25) — Entities' Compliance with the Commonwealth Indigenous Procurement Policy

Philanthropy Landscape

Foundations with youth, justice, or Indigenous focus areas. These are potential funding partners for evidence-based alternatives.

World Vision Australia

$514.1M/yr
educationhealthcommunityindigenousenvironment

InternationalAU-National

The University of Sydney

$340.7M/yr
educationresearchcommunityindigenous

AU-NSWAU-NationalInternational

Paul Ramsay Foundation Limited

$320.0M/yr
justice reinvestmentemploymenteducationindigenousyouth

AU-National

Catholic Education Centre

$281.5M/yr
educationindigenous

AU-TAS

Monash University

$273.7M/yr
educationresearchhealthindigenous

AU-VICInternational

Minderoo Foundation Limited as trustee for The Minderoo Foundation Trust

$268.0M/yr
indigenousemploymentearly childhoodenvironmentmodern slavery

AU-NationalAU-WAInternational

Alice Springs Youth Accommodation & Support Services Inc.

$196.0M/yr
youthcommunity

AU-NT

BHP Foundation

$195.1M/yr
indigenouscommunityhuman_rightsenvironmenteducation

InternationalAU-NationalAU-QLDAU-SAAU-WACanadaChile

Rio Tinto Foundation

$153.7M/yr
indigenouscommunitycultural_heritageemploymenteconomic_development

AU-WAAU-QLDAU-NationalInternational

Woolworths Group Foundation

$146.5M/yr
communityindigenousenvironment

AU-National

The Pipeline

National360 LGAs, 21,386,217 people
1

School

Exclusion & Disadvantage

It starts here. Schools in these communities are some of the most under-resourced in the country. When a child is excluded, they don't disappear — they enter the next system.

1.7Avg low-ICSEA schools15%Avg Indigenous %
2

Disability

NDIS & Unmet Need

Young people with disabilities — cognitive, psychosocial, intellectual — are wildly overrepresented in youth justice. Many were never diagnosed, never supported, never given a plan.

24NDIS participants /1K
3

Welfare

Poverty & Payment Dependency

The families in these communities are on welfare payments at rates far above the national average. Poverty is not a moral failing — it's a predictor of every other system contact.

36DSP /1K pop44JobSeeker /1K6Youth Allowance /1K
4

Child Protection

State-Level Indicators

Child protection data is not published at LGA level in any state. We know from state-level data that the same communities appear. This is a deliberate blind spot — and we name it.

State-level onlyData gap
5

Youth Justice

Detention & Recidivism

The end of the pipeline. By now the system has failed this child at every stage. We spend more per day to lock them up than it would cost to house, mentor, and train them.

$4,354Avg $/day detention51%Avg recidivism21.6xIndigenous over-rep
Service Deserts

312 of 360 LGAs have zero documented youth justice interventions in ALMA. These communities have the most need and the least help.

By State

Cross-System Overlap

360 LGAs across Australia — same places, same young people, different government systems. Each cell shows intensity relative to the worst LGA. When an entire row is dark, every system is failing that community simultaneously. Showing top 50 by weighted burden score. = service desert (zero documented ALMA interventions).

PlaceEducationWelfareYouth Justice (state)NDISCrimeALMAAll
LGASTLow ICSEAICSEAIndig %DSP /1KJobSeek /1KYouth A. /1K$/DayRecid %Indig RatioDet Indig %NDIS /1KRate/100KIntrvnsScore
AurukunQLD169498%6935587$2,23472%26.8x65%6690,815079
Derby-West KimberleyWA1569791%6616434$3,27853%28.8x74%27258
Halls CreekWA864297%5918734$3,27853%28.8x74%23256
NapranumQLD1634100%5422238$2,23472%26.8x65%2519,264056
MurchisonWA159491%479447$3,27853%28.8x74%047
Wyndham-East KimberleyWA574488%4210721$3,27853%28.8x74%24047
Mount MagnetWA171783%4314314$3,27853%28.8x74%29046
CarpentariaQLD376570%3412916$2,23472%26.8x65%2227,939445
KempseyNSW1387839%75599$2,91940%24.2x54%4913,926045
CoonambleNSW477968%667816$2,91940%24.2x54%4019,891045
MeekatharraWA358998%1912827$3,27853%28.8x74%045
BroomeWA882365%417212$3,27853%28.8x74%28043
Moree PlainsNSW1083251%496412$2,91940%24.2x54%2527,507042
WilunaWA159990%1813218$3,27853%28.8x74%042
MenziesWA165996%2611317$3,27853%28.8x74%042
Port AugustaSA784551%558715$4,13043%20.3x63%33041
PeterboroughSA289725%137989$4,13043%20.3x63%33040
DubboNSW1689739%41408$2,91940%24.2x54%32139
CoolgardieWA580450%37779$3,27853%28.8x74%21039
East PilbaraWA673974%14529$3,27853%28.8x74%10039
TorresQLD183078%216917$2,23472%26.8x65%196,139039
TamworthNSW1592430%43439$2,91940%24.2x54%36038
CairnsQLD1396423%33477$2,23472%26.8x65%2810,4881038
Maralinga TjarutjaSA0100%4919649$4,13043%20.3x63%038
Greater GeraldtonWA991132%32558$3,27853%28.8x74%31038
WyalkatchemWA187030%619220$3,27853%28.8x74%24037
CessnockNSW992922%50457$2,91940%24.2x54%458,051037
Port PirieSA592318%797112$4,13043%20.3x63%38037
InverellNSW789531%565010$2,91940%24.2x54%3312,232037
Richmond ValleyNSW691423%65518$2,91940%24.2x54%429,973037
IpswichQLD997713%43427$2,23472%26.8x65%405,703337
NarromineNSW487250%404410$2,91940%24.2x54%3012,913036
KyogleNSW690223%76685$2,91940%24.2x54%324,246036
MareebaQLD593727%417110$2,23472%26.8x65%259,978136
TrayningWA185136%838317$3,27853%28.8x74%036
Clarence ValleyNSW793822%61538$2,91940%24.2x54%369,134036
Unincorporated SASA384958%5312417$4,13043%20.3x63%036
NorthamWA489926%42639$3,27853%28.8x74%29035
WarrumbungleNSW790130%66559$2,91940%24.2x54%27035
NarrabriNSW786938%40449$2,91940%24.2x54%258,625035
CedunaSA287153%357812$4,13043%20.3x63%27035
ToowoombaQLD898213%43367$2,23472%26.8x65%346,367135
Greater SheppartonVIC1096210%51476$8,06657%10.8x17%4110,197135
NarranderaNSW492027%55509$2,91940%24.2x54%3514,406035
LismoreNSW598615%63526$2,91940%24.2x54%4710,149035
Port HedlandWA585945%175710$3,27853%28.8x74%17035
Upper GascoyneWA083%5014925$3,27853%28.8x74%035
BlacktownNSW191,0079%27344$2,91940%24.2x54%295,993035
Southern DownsQLD495114%55456$2,23472%26.8x65%355,883035
BoganNSW387139%35438$2,91940%24.2x54%3514,421035

State-by-State Spending

ROGS Youth Justice data, 2015-16 to 2024-25

State10-Year TotalDetentionCommunityLatest YearGrowth
Queensland$3.5B$1.9B$1.5B$536.1M+150%
Victoria$3.0B$2.2B$792.2M$438.0M+143%
New South Wales$2.8B$1.9B$927.6M$327.1M+30%
Western Australia$1.3B$784.0M$289.8M$179.6M+36%
Northern Territory$972.5M$530.4M$351.9M$102.4M+121%
South Australia$559.8M$435.4M$103.0M$60.0M+13%
Australian Capital Territory$306.2M$241.4M$56.2M$36.4M+35%
Tasmania$282.9M$192.9M$88.8M$43.5M+117%

Youth Justice Spending by State

10-year ROGS total expenditure trend, 2015-16 to 2024-25

Detention vs Community Spending

10-year cumulative split — every state spends more on locking up than keeping out

Spending Growth Since 2015-16

Percentage increase in total youth justice expenditure

What Works: ALMA Intervention Types

Distribution of evidence-based youth justice alternatives

What Works: Evidence from ALMA

From the Australian Living Map of Alternatives — 511 youth justice interventions with documented evidence. Sorted by portfolio score (effectiveness x cultural authority x evidence quality).

Deadly Inspiring Youth Doing Good (DIYDG)

76
Cultural ConnectionQLD

Indigenous-led (culturally grounded, community authority)

Oochiumpa Youth Services

70
Wraparound SupportNTNational

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) Youth Programs

70
Cultural ConnectionVIC

Indigenous-led (culturally grounded, community authority)

Dumbartung Aboriginal Corporation Youth Programs

70
Cultural ConnectionWA

Indigenous-led (culturally grounded, community authority)

Queensland Indigenous Youth Leadership Program

69
Cultural ConnectionQLD

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

Jesuit Social Services Youth Justice Programs VIC

69
DiversionVIC

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

Brotherhood of St Laurence Youth Programs

69
Education/EmploymentVIC

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

Territory Families Youth Justice Services

69
Wraparound SupportNT

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

Cowra Justice Reinvestment

67
Justice ReinvestmentNSW

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

Mount Druitt Justice Reinvestment

67
Justice ReinvestmentNSW

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

Moree Justice Reinvestment

67
Justice ReinvestmentNSW

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

Nowra Justice Reinvestment

67
Justice ReinvestmentNSW

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

NT Youth Outreach and Re-engagement (YORE)

66
Wraparound SupportNT

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

Maranguka Justice Reinvestment Project (Bourke)

66
Justice ReinvestmentNSW

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

BackTrack Youth Works

66
Community-LedNSWArmidaleNew England

Indigenous-led (culturally grounded, community authority)

Indigenous Youth Service

63
Cultural ConnectionQLDWoolloongabba

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

Cherbourg Justice Reinvestment Project

63
Justice ReinvestmentQLD

Promising (community-endorsed, emerging evidence)

Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council SA Youth Programs

63
TherapeuticSA

Promising (community-endorsed, emerging evidence)

Rumbalara Football Netball Club Youth Programs

63
PreventionGoulburn ValleySheppartonVIC

Promising (community-endorsed, emerging evidence)

Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women's Legal Centre Youth Program

63
DiversionNSW

Promising (community-endorsed, emerging evidence)

Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) Youth Programs

63
Wraparound SupportVICWA

Promising (community-endorsed, emerging evidence)

Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT Youth Justice Program

63
DiversionNSWACTStatewide

Promising (community-endorsed, emerging evidence)

Youth Programs (Marra Worra Worra Aboriginal Corporation)

63
Community-LedKimberleyWA

Promising (community-endorsed, emerging evidence)

Aboriginal Legal Service of WA Youth Services

63
DiversionWAStatewide

Promising (community-endorsed, emerging evidence)

Youth Yarnz After Dark

62
Cultural ConnectionQLD

Effective (strong evaluation, positive outcomes)

PICC Power Map

Rachel Atkinson sits at the intersection of national policy, state governance, and community-controlled service delivery. Hover over any node to trace connections.

PersonOrganisationPolicy BodyFunderPotentialActivePotential/IndirectCEOBoard DirectorCo-ChairCo-ChairDeputy Chair30-yr leaseConsortium$4.8M$2.7M$1.5MNext round?$8.5M+$1.2M EOIPotentialQFCCSubmissionRachel AtkinsonCEO, Yorta YortaPICC$20.1M revenue, 197 staff$38.7M trackedStation Precinct30-year lease, TownsvilleSNAICCNational Voice for our Children$9M+ federalQLD First Children BoardCo-ChairFamily Matters QLDCo-ChairQLD Aboriginal Health CouncilDeputy ChairNIAA$4.8M Safety & Wellbeing$4.8MDSSChild & Family ProgramsQLD DCSSDSChild Protection, DFV, YJ$8.5M+REAL Innovation FundEOI $1.2M submittedA Curious TractorManufacturing partnerTim Fairfax Foundation$7.7M/yr, QLD/NT focusCommissioner LewisATSI Children's Commissioner

Policy Influence

  • SNAICC Board — $9M+ federal contracts, national peak body
  • QLD First Children Board — shapes Safe and Supported implementation
  • Family Matters QLD — national campaign to end over-representation

Funding Flows

  • NIAA 1.3 — $4.8M anchor contract (Safety & Wellbeing)
  • QLD DCSSDS — $8.5M+ (child protection, DFV, youth justice)
  • REAL Fund — $1.2M EOI submitted (Station Precinct)

Opportunities

  • DSS next round — $9.8M went to 10 ACCOs (July 2025)
  • Tim Fairfax — $7.7M/yr, QLD/NT, First Nations focus
  • NIAA 1.1 — $221M Jobs, Land & Economy pool
Get the full PDF

Youth Justice vs NDIS Spend

10-year youth justice total alongside annual NDIS budget — same communities, different systems

NDIS Youth by Disability Type

Young NDIS participants by primary disability — these overlap heavily with youth justice cohorts

State-by-State Detail

StateNDIS YouthPsychosocialIntellectualAutismNDIS BudgetDSP RecipientsYouth Allowance
ALL795,871131,620196,938648,378$129.6B00
New South Wales350,71959,21090,713276,810$57.9B259,08028,105
Victoria327,35761,09480,388253,238$48.5B205,69520,970
Queensland259,80638,07355,252212,825$42.3B185,62025,555
Western Australia99,48017,03225,22688,483$18.3B65,86012,005
South Australia101,63812,49625,72895,703$16.8B71,0308,270
Tasmania22,9593,6458,52320,277$4.7B29,6453,385
Northern Territory10,5371,2743,7685,899$2.8B9,2203,800
Australian Capital Territory16,9693,4954,18510,538$1.9B9,8751,025
State_Missing0000$984K00

Youth Justice Contracts

Federal procurement contracts from AusTender — who builds, operates, and services youth detention.

BuyerSupplierValueYear
NT Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics - Infrastructure, Investment and ContractsHalikos Pty Ltd$55.1M2020
NT Department of Corporate and Digital Development - Enterprise Project ServicesLiquidlogic Ltd$25.8M2020
NT Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics - Infrastructure, Investment and ContractsAsbuild (NT) Pty Ltd$13.1M2020
NT Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities - Youth Justice and Emergency ManagementSaltbush Social Enterprises Limited$13.0M2024
NT Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics - Infrastructure, Investment and ContractsBennett Design Pty Ltd$3.3M2018
NT Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities - Youth JusticeJesuit Social Services Limited$2.8M2022
NSW Department of Communities and JusticeInfor Global Solutions (Anz) Proprietary Limited$2.6M2022
NSW Department of Communities and JusticeInfor Global Solutions (Anz) Proprietary Limited$2.6M2022
NT Territory Families - Youth JusticeDanila Dilba Biluru Butji Binnilutlum Health Service Aboriginal Corporation$1.4M2020
NT Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics - Infrastructure, Investment and ContractsSecurity & Technology Services (NT) Pty Ltd$895K2020
NT Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics - Infrastructure, Investment and ContractsLietzke Australia Pty Limited$854K2024
NT Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics - Infrastructure, Investment and ContractsScope Building NT Pty Ltd$725K2017
NT Department of Infrastructure - Building ServicesC and R Constructions Pty Ltd$713K2015
Department of Communities TasmaniaArtas Pty Ltd$578K2019
NT Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics - Infrastructure, Investment and ContractsNorthern Transportables Pty Ltd$552K2019

Youth Justice Grants & Funding

Where the money goes — state department allocations and the community organisations delivering services on the ground.

Service Delivery Organisations

OrganisationStateTotal FundingGrants
OzChildQLD1
ATSICHS BrisbaneQLD1
Yabun Panjoo Aboriginal CorporationQLD1
PCYC QueenslandQLD1
V.I.T.A.L. ProjexQLD1
Gold Coast Youth ServiceQLD1
Dynamic Community CareQLD1
Music Beat AustraliaQLD1
Namu CollectiveQLD1
Ted Noffs FoundationQLD1
Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation RNTBCQLD1
Shine for KidsQLD1
Anglicare Southern QueenslandQLD2
Kambu HealthQLD1
Mudth-Niyleta ATSI CorporationQLD1

Connected Campaigns

Contained

Australia locks up children at extraordinary cost with extraordinary failure rates. This report provides the cross-system evidence for the Contained campaign — linking school disadvantage, family poverty, and the youth justice pipeline.

Launching Monday. Data from this report feeds directly into Contained briefings.

JusticeHub

The Australian Living Map of Alternatives (ALMA) catalogues 511 youth justice interventions with documented evidence. This report surfaces ALMA data alongside government spending to show what works vs what gets funded.

ALMA data powered by JusticeHub's community-sourced evidence database.

Data Sources

  • Productivity Commission Report on Government Services (ROGS) — Youth Justice tables, 2015-16 to 2024-25
  • ACARA My School — School profiles including ICSEA, Indigenous enrolment, and school type
  • Australian Living Map of Alternatives (ALMA) — JusticeHub evidence database
  • AusTender — Federal procurement contracts with youth justice entities
  • State budget papers — all state/territory youth justice appropriations
  • NDIS — Participant data by service district, disability type, and age
  • Department of Social Services — Disability Support Pension, Youth Allowance, JobSeeker payment demographics
  • ANAO Report 40 (2024-25) — Entities' Compliance with the Commonwealth Indigenous Procurement Policy
  • ABS Estimated Resident Population 2023 — LGA-level population for per-capita normalization
  • Crime statistics — BOCSAR (NSW), CSA (VIC), QPS (QLD), NTPFES (NT) at LGA level

This is a living report. All data is sourced from public datasets. Cross-system geographic linkage and per-capita normalization performed by CivicGraph.

Full Report

Download: Youth Justice Report

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