SUBMISSION SUMMARY
In March 2026, the Alternative First Responders (AFR) Team put forward a submission to the New South Wales (NSW) Select Committee on Youth Justice advocating for the urgent need to prioritise and invest in alternative first responses for young people. Alternative first responses will ensure young people receive the right supports while preventing criminalisation.
Read Alternative First Responders’ full submission HERE.
WHAT WE HIGHLIGHTED
- The rate of youth offending has been decreasing for the past ten years.
- Greater investment in police does not equate to greater support for young people or families, nor does it lead to positive long-term outcomes.
“Because we need to try something different—the current system would seem to be making things worse. Children’s lives are being destroyed before they get to live, by being treated as one-size-fits-all by the justice system.” – AFR public pledge
- There is evidence that does not support police-led diversion as a key reason for the decline in youth offending.
- Government reports make clear recommendations for the role of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and community-led organisations in delivering appropriate services to support young people, and that they must be adequately funded.
- There is a cyclical pattern of investment in pilot programs, with limited continuation of funding and resources once pilots conclude.
CALL TO ACTION
The AFR campaign strongly urges the Committee to take into consideration the growing chorus of concern from sectors, professionals, and community members about the harms of policing on young people.
Research and reviews of international and national models show a clear focus on collaborative rehabilitation, family support and community involvement, restorative justice, and community-based solutions. The resilience of communities in creating better outcomes demonstrates how self-determined decision-making can effectively respond to community needs.
The AFR campaign calls for the prioritisation of alternative first responder models to reduce young people’s contact with the criminal justice system and to provide community-based responses that are culturally appropriate, human rights-based, rooted in care and support, and that adequately address community safety, including for young people.
You can support the call for care, not force by signing our national pledge for alternatives to police HERE.
