Underfunding of community legal centres is directly exacerbating youth crime, according to the head of a Queensland youth-specific legal centre.
Funding limitations are putting handbrakes on hiring enough lawyers to ensure young people are moved through the justice system in a timely manner, the CEO of Brisbane-based Youth Advocacy Centre Katherine Hayes said.
As a result, longer stays in detention centres and watch houses are crippling crucial chances at rehabilitation, she said.
"This slowing down of [youth offenders'] progress through the court system, as a result of the underfunding, has meant that we are contributing to the youth crime problem by making sure that these kids don't have a proper chance at rehabilitation," she told Hack.
"[If] kids were properly represented in the legal system, they weren't held up as they went through and they exited the detention centre as soon as possible … they would get proper rehabilitation.
"We're always turning away kids who need representation in the youth justice system."
Ms Hayes said the centre was turning away families seeking help to get their kids back in school "almost every week" at the beginning of the school year.
She said the centre had enough demand for two or three extra lawyers to work in the youth justice system, plus another two lawyers to help with other issues like education.
A spokesperson for the Queensland Department of Youth Justice said the number of young people remanded in custody and held in QPS watch houses over summer has followed seasonal trends.
Ms Hayes disputed that and told Hack numbers had been, and continue to be, higher than previous years.
"Usually the numbers in the watch house drop off around February but they've continued to remain at summer levels well into April," she said.
'I'd be locked up'
South-east Queensland teenager Alice* is confident having access to a youth justice lawyer changed the course of her life.
A few years ago, she was skipping school and drinking a lot and got involved in criminal activity.
She told Hack without the support of the YAC lawyer assigned to support her through her court appearances, she would likely be in jail right now.
"I think I'd be locked up or something. I wouldn't be good at all," the now 16-year-old said.
Alice credited her case worker's holistic approach – not just attending court with her – as what got her back on track.
"They've helped me with getting to places, getting to doctor's appointments, home stuff, food vouchers, trying to get me into school.
"They would never judge me.
"Them believing in me made me believe in myself even more. If I didn't have them, I just would have stayed doing the same old things."
The experience was so positive it inspired her to enrol in justice studies at TAFE.
She eventually wants to be a barrister.
"I want to give back to the community.
"I know that a lot of kids out there, if they just had a little bit of help and a little bit of support, they would be a long way."
She implored governments at both the state and federal level to increase funding to community legal centres.
"It would make a huge impact."
Funding under review
The federal government provides funding for community legal centres to the states and territories under the five-year National Legal Assistance Partnership.
The terms of the current agreement, which expires next year, have recently been independently reviewed.
The resulting report is currently being considered by the country's attorneys-general.
In a statement last month, Commonwealth Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the purpose of the review was "to consider how future arrangements could better provide access for justice for all who need it".
"Legal assistance is essential to ensuring access to justice and equality before the law," he said.
The report is expected to be released publicly within the next two months.
Community Legal Centres Australia chairperson Gerard Brody wants the next agreement to include at least $125 million more per year for community legal centres than the current agreement.
"Many community legal centres are at breaking point," Mr Brody said.
He said community legal centres turned away more than 200,000 people last year, including some in "pretty detrimental situations".
"Many of them are reducing services to local communities, because they just can't keep up with the demand."
Mr Brody said community legal centres were particularly crucial to help young people navigate legal and bureaucratic processes.
"It could be around … family disputes, it could be around employment issues in your first and early jobs, not being treated well by your employer, it could be … consumer credit or debt issues that people are facing, because they've got into financial difficulty."
*Name has been changed for legal reasons.
