Circle of support and accountability. Towards indigenous justice: Prevention, diversion, and rehabilitation.

Source: (2008) Canberra: Aboriginal Justice Centre.

The purpose of this report is to stimulate a shift in thinking within Government and the
broader community about crime prevention and diversion. In particular, it is to stimulate a
re-conceptualisation of crime prevention as social support, with a particular focus on early
intervention. For too long, prevention has been considered ‘too “soft” for a problem as “hard”
as crime’. This is despite research which clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of social
support in reducing crime. Many community organisations are currently engaged in providing
social support services which have a crime prevention function. Most of them do not define
their work in this way, nor measure the success of their programs in terms of crime prevention,
or receive funding from crime prevention grants funding. We hope through this report, and
related advocacy and community development work, to encourage Government and community
organisations to see social support services in this way. (excerpt) Includes restorative justice project.