A new evaluation shows NSW Police Force Youth Action Meetings (YAMs) are not working; and are even leading to worse outcomes for some children.

Between 2020 and 2021, the NSW Police Force piloted the YAMs program in two NSW locations. Nearly half of all children referred to YAMs during the pilot phase were Aboriginal.

In each site, coordinators identified 10-17 year olds who were at risk of offending, escalating offending, or crime victimisation, and who faced multiple safety, welfare, or wellbeing concerns.

Monthly police‑led meetings brought together multiple government and non-government agencies to ostensibly share information, build a holistic view of each young person's needs and strengths, and to develop tailored case plans with specific actions to be reviewed monthly.

'No significant differences' in school, mental health or offending outcomes

While the program aimed to streamline and strengthen service responses; address safety, welfare, or wellbeing concerns; and to reduce offending and crime victimisation, the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) study of the pilot found: "In the year following program referral, no significant differences were observed for school enrolment, mental health service usage, proven offending or police-recorded crime victimisation."

To assess the effectiveness of the program, BOSCAR had matched and compared 143 YAMs participants with 622 similar young people from non-program areas.

Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) Principal Legal Officer, Nadine Miles, said Police-led Youth Action Meetings "don't work for children, families or communities".

"They aren't effective in engaging young people with education or mental health support. They aren't supporting safer communities," she said.

"Most of the time, the child and their family aren't even included in the meetings."

Program participants had worse outcomes in two key fields

BOSCAR found young people subjected to YAMs were 37 per cent more likely than their peers to be subject to a risk of significant harm (RoSH) report, bringing them in direct contact with the child protection system, and nearly twice as likely to have a missing person report recorded.

"By sinking money into this program, the NSW Government is only ensuring that more children at risk of contact with the justice system are also forced into the child protection system, contrary to Closing the Gap commitments," Ms Miles said.

"And by relying on police to coordinate a response that is supposed to help at-risk children, the Government is only increasing surveillance over these young people and their families, and diminishing trust.

"Aboriginal communities know only too well that, when police take the lead, punitive responses are more likely - and we know that, statistically, Aboriginal children are far more likely to be punished than supported."

'Government must embrace real solutions'

In 2024, the NSW Government announced an investment of millions of dollars to expand YAMs in nine police districts - badging the program as a "regional crime prevention initiative", despite a lack of evidence that it is doing anything to reduce or prevent crime.

"It's really concerning that this program is being expanded without any evidence it produces positive outcomes," Ms Miles said.

"It's time for the NSW Government to admit that Youth Action Meetings are a failed experiment and stop funding responses that cause disproportionate harm to Aboriginal children.

"Instead, the Government must embrace real solutions that provide children with trauma informed and culturally safe pathways away from the justice system. All of the evidence shows that, when the needs of children and families are met, they're less likely to come into contact with the system in the first place."

National Indigenous Times has contacted the NSW Government for comment.

The ALS NSW/ACT recently launched a new strategy, developed in partnership with the NSW Department of Communities and Justice, to direct children away from the justice system and towards therapeutic, community-based responses that help them to thrive. More information is available on the ALS and DCJ websites.

Data only reflects 'early pilot', Minister says

NSW Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism, Yasmin Catley, told National Indigenous Times that the data reported by BOSCAR reflects an early pilot of YAMs.

"Since then, the issues identified have already been acknowledged by NSW Police and addressed through significant expansion and investment," she said.

"We've committed $12.9 million to expand YAMs and the Safe Aboriginal Youth Patrol Program in priority communities.

"A formal review of YAMS is now underway to ensure it is delivering.

"We know coordinated, multi-agency approaches work and we'll keep refining this model to better support young people and keep communities safe."