NSW Police connecting with juvenile offenders to help them keep out of the criminal justice system have been thanked with an artwork which proudly hangs inside the PCYC.
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The painting was gifted to the Dubbo PCYC and NSW Police Youth Command by Uncle Allan Shillingsworth on behalf of the young people at the Orana Youth Justice Centre.
Orana sector supervisor of the Youth and Crime Prevention Command, Sergeant David Blom said the artwork now takes pride of place next to the police office inside the PCYC.
"I was impressed with this art work, I was quite surprised just by the magnitude and size of it," Sergeant Blom said.
"The impact it has especially to PCYC. We've now got another bit of artwork that's representative of what we're doing."
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In April 2021 the NSW Police Youth and Crime Prevention Command launched the pre-release program in the western region.
The program aims to forge positive bonds between police and young offenders within the criminal justice system, to help reduce reoffending.
Officers from the Youth Command regularly attend the Orana Youth Justice Centre to engage with juvenile offenders, breaking down traditional barriers that could contribute to offending behaviours.
"It's quite challenging in there when we meet the kids initially, because a lot of them have come from backgrounds where historically police are always locking them up," Sergeant Blom said.
"So we come from a different approach, and the Youth Command officers we send into the centre have a different attitude. They're not there to lock them up, and once the juveniles recognise that they come to get to know us better and that rapport is built.
"So when we go into the centre we wear our sports gear, so were still recognised as police, but not overtly. We play sport, do activities we do anything, play cards, they show us their chambers and are quite proud of it."
When the juveniles are released from custody the program continues its support, helping them connect with Youth Engagement Officers in their towns to help with their case management and employment opportunities.
"The key of this program is when they get released they aren't just left alone," Sgt Blom said.
While the program was suspended in August 2021 due to the COVID-19 outbreak, it is being relaunched on Thursday.
Youth Command Inspector Luke Gerats said the program works to bring NSW Police together with the PCYC and the Department of Communities and Justice to help youths transition back into the community and stay out of the criminal justice system.
"I was really heartened to hear a story about a young person who went through this program who came out and had a lot of challenges, but didn't reoffend for six months, which is a really good result," he said.
"That's one of our real positive success stories from this program, so when we see that happening we know we're making a difference and that's what we're looking to do."
NSW Department of Communities and Justice Lyndon Davis said the centre had already seen some positive benefits from the program.
"Working in the centre it can be very sheltered and it can be difficult for us to find success sometimes because so much of it goes on outside the walls of the centre."
"So to have these partnerships to help transition these youths back into the community and to wrap some supports around them, we really appreciate it."