Youth Justice and Residential Centres
Victoria has three juvenile justice centres for young people aged between 10 and 20 sentenced by either the children's or adult courts to a Youth Residential or Youth Justice Centre Order.
Melbourne Youth Justice Centre
The Melbourne Youth Justice Centre is a custodial facility for males aged 15 to 20 years who have been sentenced to a Youth Justice Centre Order by the Children's Court or an adult court for senior clients (18-20 years of age). Junior Youth Justice Centre clients may also be remanded at Melbourne Youth Justice Centre. Melbourne Youth Justice Centre is located in Parkville approximately five kilometres from the General Post Office, Melbourne.
A range of further information about Melbourne Youth Justice Centre, including the redevelopment of the centre, the role of the various units at the centre, safety and security measures and available programs is available of the "Youth Services and Youth Justice" link in 'Downloads and links'.
Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre
Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre is located near the town of Kyneton, 100 kilometres north-west of Melbourne.
The original Malmsbury centre was built in 1965 and, following a major redevelopment, the new centre was completed in December 1997.
The centre now accommodates up to 74 males in four purpose-built units. Malmsbury is solely a senior, male youth training centre and therefore accommodates young men aged between 18 and 21 referred from adult court under the Dual Track System.
Malmsbury has no external perimeter enclosure. Security is based on active staff interaction with clients.
Parkville Youth Residential Centre
Parkville Youth Residential Centre is the sole facility providing custodial accommodation for remanded or sentenced young women in Victoria's juvenile justice system. The 30-bed centre also accommodates young men aged 10 to 14 years on remand or sentence by the Children's Court to a Youth Residential Order.
In recognition of the critical role that age and gender play in life experience, offending behaviour and developmental requirements of young people, the centre provides specific and separate service responses to these client groups.
Extensive capital and programmatic redevelopment was completed in 1999. The result is a centre designed specifically to create a domestic and humane living environment supporting relationship based interventions in a safe and secure setting.
Provision of programs and services at the centre and post release support services-including a community residential and outreach program for young women-are aimed at proactively addressing issues including offending behaviour, substance abuse and homelessness to achieve positive rehabilitation and community reintegration.
These principles are reflected in the centre's mission statement:
'Parkville Youth Residential Centre aims to address the needs of girls, young women and boys in custody by providing quality care and opportunities for personal development and success. Positive reintegration into the community is achieved by developing meaningful social networks and relationships to give young people every opportunity to lead their lives without re-offending.'