For 25 years, Griffith Youth Forensic Service (GYFS) has provided world-leading assessment and treatment services to young people who commit sexual offences, strengthening justice outcomes and community safety across Queensland.
Established in April 2001, GYFS recently marked the milestone with youth justice leaders, international experts, clinicians and members of Griffith Criminology Institute reflecting on the service's purpose, achievements and emerging challenges.
The event opened with Refiti Tovi, a proud descendant of the Turrbal People, who offered safe passage to and from Country and shared powerful words on the importance of protecting Queensland's children.
GYFS Director Professor Benoit Leclerc said the opening grounded the occasion in shared responsibility as the service marked one quarter of a century of youth sexual offending intervention.
"GYFS has delivered highly specialised, evidence-based services to young people with rigour and consistency for 25 years," he said.
"In that time, GYFS has assessed and treated 579 young people.
"Clinicians have completed more than 54,000 hours of treatment involving young people, their families and communities."
What makes GYFS different?
Professor Leclerc said the service's field-based model remained one of its defining features.
"The service has several unique strengths including research-driven practice and its field-based delivery model," he said.
"Clinicians travel to meet and treat young people where they live, which maximises engagement with them and their communities and thus supports treatment delivery.
"Queensland is a large state, and clinicians have travelled from cities in the South East and Far North to towns in regional Western Queensland and remote Cape York to work with young people."
Professor Leclerc also pointed to evidence that a subgroup of young people would continue offending in adulthood, which would involve an escalation of behaviour, underscoring the importance of early intervention.
What's next for GYFS?
Professor Leclerc said the service's role was more critical now than ever.
"ABS data shows sexual assault victimisation rates have grown rapidly since 2020 as technology access widens and reporting increases," he said.
"As rates rise, demand for specialist services will grow.
"Looking ahead, the service aims to sustain and expand specialist treatment and develop programs addressing the urgent issue of technology-enabled sexual offending.
Evidence proves impact
GYFS Deputy Director Associate Professor Jesse Cale highlighted recent research which showed the service's treatment reduced sexual reoffending by up to 90% and overall reoffending by up to 44%.
"Spending time with clinicians, I have heard positive change stories that have always stayed with me," he said.
"The research translated what was a widely known sentiment about the success of the program into evidence.
"It showed GYFS-treated young people had sexual reoffending rates up to 10 times lower than comparable non-treated peers."
Associate Professor Cale echoed the need for further research and resources to meet the challenges of tomorrow when it came to youth sexual offending, including risks posed by the increase of technology and AI-facilitated child exploitation material.
Call for expansion of service
President of the Children's Court of Queensland – Her Honour Judge Deborah Richards – described the service as "gold star" and highlighted the value of its tailored reports in helping judges assess the drivers of youth offending.
"Recent research is solid proof of the value of the service. Since 2001, I have seen it go from strength to strength," she said.
In marking the milestone, Judge Richards recalled one example of a boy who had appeared in her courtroom for a serious sexual offence and was referred to GYFS for treatment.
Years later, it was revealed that not only did he not commit any further sexual offences, but instead became a valued member of his community.
"The extent of the turnaround from the boy I had sentenced many years ago was impressive and attributed largely to the service," Judge Richards said.
"It's this treatment work that, in my view, is the gold star because it's delivered by specialists in the field in community and detention centres to offenders who – if not treated – have the potential to cause lasting misery for others in the community if their behaviour is not addressed in a concentrated and effective way."
Judge Richards called for expanded funding so the program could reach more young people.
"There is simply no substitute for this treatment. I congratulate the service on reaching this milestone of 25 years."
"There can be no doubt that your contribution is worth every cent invested and more," she said.
"There are currently no low-cost services for parents who might identify inappropriate behaviours which they seek to address before offending occurs.
"Extra funding for an expansion of the program could address this, providing benefits to young people and wider society."
International experts Associate Professor Karen Holt and Professor Tom Holt from Michigan University reinforced the service's global standing and its success in protecting Queenslanders.
"To the clinicians at GYFS, you are amazing," Associate Professor Holt said.
"Australia is such a leader in research and progress in this space," she added.
In his address, Professor Holt highlighted emerging risks, from camera glasses to AI 'nudification' apps, that demanded sophisticated, specialised and preventative responses.
Griffith Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Carolyn Evans, was among the honoured guests at the 25-year GYFS celebration which acknowledged its clinicians, researchers and supporters for their work which continues to create lasting change for young Queenslanders.
Read more about GYFS on the Griffith University website.
