Community development in action: reducing youth crime
Abstract
This paper explores the relationship between disadvantage in communities and crime. Due to the increasing rates of imprisonment which are not reducing crime there are growing calls for changes to be made to the penal justice system, particularly for young people. Current responses to youth crime have been shown as ineffective, as they are only increasing imprisonment rates. There are growing calls for changes to be made to support young people and their families and communities. There are two current community development programs in Australia which have shown positive results in reducing and preventing youth crime and imprisonment rates, which provide a positive alternative for crime prevention by working collaboratively with, and empowering communities. Social workers have been identified as playing a key role in this process.
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