The Justice Reform Initiative warns that the Victorian Government's decision to reopen the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre just two years after its closure is a costly, ineffective, and short-sighted measure that ignores clear evidence about what actually works to build community safety.
The growth of remand populations in Victoria is a direct consequence of harsher bail laws, deepening a costly over-reliance on incarceration.
Justice Reform Initiative Executive Director Dr Mindy Sotiri said reopening Malmsbury represents a staggering misuse of public funds and a failure of evidence-based policymaking.
"It is incredibly misleading to suggest that putting more children on remand and reopening prison beds will keep the community safe. The evidence is very clear that the opposite is true: prison does not deter crime, it does not address the drivers of crime, and the experience of incarceration increases the likelihood of children going on to reoffend," Dr Sotiri said.
"Building or reopening detention facilities in response to rising remand numbers is a disappointing and politicised response to policy failure. The rise in Victoria's remand population is not a sign of increased crime; it is a direct consequence of harsher bail laws."
"All the evidence shows that contact with the criminal justice system increases the likelihood of reoffending, particularly for children, who are more likely to cycle in and out of the system for years to come — and taxpayers are footing the bill for this ineffective approach."
"Spending millions reopening an unfit facility like Malmsbury loops us into an expensive, destructive cycle rather than tackling what actually keeps communities safe."
Dr Sotiri said a genuine commitment to community safety means investing in what works.
"We know what works: investment in community led approaches, including First Nations-led programs that address the underlying drivers of crime and disadvantage, and that keep children in school, connected to their families and culture, and supported to make better choices," she said
"These approaches work because they address the drivers of offending — poverty, homelessness, trauma, disability, disconnection from school — but almost all are chronically underfunded, while we continue to resource the criminal justice system."
As part of the planned reopening, the Government promised to support 'low-risk' children through education, vocational training and job opportunities. But this vague commitment stands in contrast to the punitive policy settings that are driving more children into the prison system.
"You cannot claim to be focused on rehabilitation while funnelling more people into custody through regressive bail laws. A safer community starts with investing in the supports that prevent children entering the justice system in the first place — not in an ever-expanding prison estate," Dr Sotiri said.
"Children should be accountable for their actions, but accountability should also mean reducing the risk of it happening again. It's time to stop managing children in prisons. Over-incarceration is not keeping communities safe."
