Justice Reinvestment Trial Sites
THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN SOCIAL REINVESTMENT TRIAL SITE PROJECT
Social Reinvestment WA (SRWA) is a coalition of not-for-profits working towards an innovative vision of justice in Western Australia. We develop alternatives and solutions to injustices, and advocate for reforms that ultimately promote Smart Justice, Healthy Families, Safe Communities for all Western Australians through a Social Reinvestment approach.
THE TRIAL SITE
We know that communities experiencing high levels of intergenerational trauma, disadvantage, poverty, and marginalisation are vulnerable. Members of these communities have a higher risk of committing offences and are also at a higher risk of being victims of crime. Using available data we aim to identify some of the most vulnerable communities in the state and, in partnership with those communities, we plan to test a Social Reinvestment approach through a trial site. Over the past six months we’ve brought together a team of experts in their fields to begin developing an innovative Social Reinvestment Trial Site Model for Western Australia. We can bring about long term solutions to crime, recidivism, and incarceration by creating healthier families, safer communities, and using smarter justice.
Our model is designed as a place-based manifestation of a Social Reinvestment Approach:
1. Redirecting government spending to focus on supporting families and individuals early to address the underlying issues that lead to offending and crime; diverting people who have offended to support and rehabilitation programs to prevent further offending; and assisting people who have been imprisoned to transition and reintegrate effectively into the community.
2. Evidence driven collaboration and co-design between communities, services, government, and researchers to create targeted and holistic programs, services, and policy approaches.
3. Law reform of illogical, outdated, and discriminative practices.
4. Prioritising cultural, social, and emotional wellbeing in our responses.
CURRENT PROJECT WORK (PHASE 1 OF OUR MODEL)
Developing the Trial Site Model
Social Reinvestment is currently further developing an extensive Trial Site Model and Project Plan for a community in Western Australia. It is important to note that the Model will INFORM process and outline solution options. Each trial site will have it’s own unique model with projects and features coming out of the Community Co-Design Process (Phase 2.)
Anticipated Completion Date: October 2018
Undertaking Research to Identify Potential Trial Sites.
Over the next six months SRWA will partner to undertake a data research project identifying potential trial sites in Western Australia based upon the preconditions of urgency and need for change; local leadership; community willingness to engage; and existing resources within the community.
Anticipated Completion Date: April 2019
Current project collaborators: Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia, Bringing Them Home WA/ Yokai, Save the Children Australia, White Lion, Amnesty Int., Dr Sarah Murray, Helen Creed, Dr Michael Wright, Community Legal Centres Association of WA, CPSU/CSA, MercyCare, NAIDOC Perth, Outcare Inc., Oxfam, Reconciliation WA, Uniting Church in WA, Uniting Care West, WACOSS, WANADA, Wungening Aboriginal Corp., YACWA, ConnectGroups WA.
If you are interested in hearing more, becoming involved with this project, or remaining updated, please contact SRWA Coordinator Sophie Stewart.
e: sophie@wacoss.org.auph: (08) 9420 7222www.socialreinvestmentwa.org.au