The Link Between Housing and Youth Justice
A recent article published by ABC News again highlighted the link between the housing crisis and youth justice. The Housing Authority’s eviction criteria fails to consider broader issues associated with overcrowding and housing instability, directly and negatively impacting youth homelessness. Family members using the public housing system will often provide their homes to extended family and homeless youth but are faced with further housing instability by being evicted due to overcrowding. With a lack of available housing and extensive waitlists, the proportion of children experiencing homelessness and engaging with the criminal justice system is becoming increasingly difficult to tackle.
ABC News, ‘Twenty people share a single three-bedroom house in Perth. Is public housing part of WA's youth justice problems?’, (14 November 2022), https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-14/public-housing-evictions-children-youth-justice-banskia-hill/101763798
The Housing Crisis
Families and justice advocates have slammed Western Australia’s current housing policies, which are plagued with severe overcrowding and homelessness.
Families and children are evicted and rejected from the limited public housing opportunities WA has to offer. Aboriginal tenants in particular are suffering disproportionally from evictions. In 2021-22, 50% of the total 256 tenancy terminations had at least one Aboriginal person in the household.
The policies also blatantly disregard the special needs of people with disabilities, removing them from waitlists and withdrawing their applications for public housing if they have previously rejected unsuitable options offered to them “without valid reason”. The policies drive vulnerable communities further into homelessness and debt, often attributing and charging many issues, damages or disruptions to the tenancy-holder regardless of whether they were the cause or not. These debts also bar the evicted tenants from applying for subsequent public housing and perpetuates the cycle of homelessness.
The Guardian, ‘Aboriginal people in WA’s public housing system are fighting against a relentless tide of ‘punitive policy’’ (Media Release, 20 March 2022) < https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/mar/20/aboriginal-people-in-was-public-housing-system-are-fighting-against-a-relentless-tide-of-punitive-policy>.
ABC Radio Perth, ‘Twenty people share a single three-bedroom house in Perth. Is public housing part of WA’s youth justice problems?’ (Media Release, 14 December 2022) < https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-14/public-housing-evictions-children-youth-justice-banskia-hill/101763798>.
Linking Housing and Youth Justice
Unstable housing and eviction of children into homelessness are strongly linked with later involvement with the criminal justice system. While homeless, children are unable to support themselves and are more likely to engage in illegal activities.
This link between homelessness and incarceration has been referred to as a “revolving door”. Approximately one third of people in the criminal justice system become homeless within 30 days of their incarceration. Half expect to be homeless post-release. This revolving door is matched in youth justice. Significant numbers of children detained in Banksia Hill Detention Centre are Wards of the State. WA’s broken housing system is sending children on a “fast-track” path to prison.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, ‘Prisoners more likely to be homeless, unemployed and suffer poor mental and physical health’ (Media Release, 30 May 2019) <https://www.aihw.gov.au/news-media/media-releases/2019/may-1/prisoners-more-likely-to-be-homeless-unemployed-an>
Al Jazeera, ‘Australia’s ‘revolving door’ of prison and homelessness’ (23 August 2021), <https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2021/8/23/australias-revolving-door-of-prison-and-homelessness>
Australian Institute of Family Studies, ‘Child maltreatment, homelessness and youth offending’ (October 2017), https://aifs.gov.au/resources/short-articles/child-maltreatment-homelessness-and-youth-offending
What Next?
Key activists in this space attribute overcrowding in public housing as a major influencing factor of youth crime. Greater implementation of youth diversion programs will prevent youth from engaging with the criminal justice system, with an emphasis on providing adequate housing alongside other basic needs.
The Department of Communities must urgently halt all “without grounds” evictions. Tenants should only be evicted if they have clearly breached their lease and have had the opportunity to put their case before a magistrate.
The WA Government must raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 14 and reform our failing youth justice system. The key principles for an evidence-based, rehabilitation-focused system have already been set out in Social Reinvestment WA’s Blueprint for a Better Future.
The state and federal governments must increase investment in social housing to maintain existing properties and build more public housing. More investment means more stable homes for children and reduced recidivism.
Emma Wayne, ‘Tenant advocates call for halt to public housing evictions ‘without grounds’ after human rights complaint’ ABC News (online, 8 October 2022) <https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-08/tenant-advocates-call-for-eviction-moratorium-public-housing/101512146>.
Call to Action
The WA Government continues to focus on incarcerating children rather than addressing the main issues. These repeated policy failures continue to increase, not reduce, the risk of children engaging in criminal activities.
Key issues go beyond the housing crisis. They include laws that allow children as young as 10 to face criminal charges, breaching Australia’s human rights obligations and drawing criticism from the United Nations. Meanwhile, the WA Government ignores funding opportunities for numerous prevention strategies which are more effective and cheaper than imprisonment.
WAJA will continue to drive for policy change on these issues along with our partner organisations such as Social Reinvestment WA. However, every bit helps in the push for change—and we need your help. If you share our concerns, contact your local MP and express your support for this issue.
Shorter Version – FB and LinkedIn
A recent article published by ABC News highlighted the link between the housing crisis and youth justice. With a lack of available housing and extensive waitlists, the proportion of children experiencing homelessness and engaging with the criminal justice system is increasingly difficult to tackle.
The Housing Crisis
Families and justice advocates have slammed Western Australia’s current housing policies, which are plagued with severe overcrowding and homelessness. Families and children are evicted and rejected from the limited public housing WA offers. Aboriginal tenants also face disproportionate eviction rates. In 2021-22, 50% of the total 256 tenancy terminations had at least 1 Aboriginal person in the household.
Linking Housing and Youth Justice
Unstable housing and eviction of children into homelessness are strongly linked with later involvement with the criminal justice system in what has been referred to as a “revolving door.” Approximately a third of people in the criminal justice system become homeless within 30 days of their incarceration. Half expect to be homeless post-release.
12 children were evicted from nine public housing tenancies in 2021-2022. WA’s broken housing system sends children on a “fast-track” path to prison.
What Next?
The Department of Communities must urgently halt all “without grounds” evictions.
The WA Government must raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 14 and reform our failing youth justice system.
The state and federal governments must increase investment in social housing to maintain existing properties and build more public housing.
The WA Government focuses on incarcerating children rather than addressing the root issues of offending behaviour. These repeated policy failures continue to increase, not reduce, the risk of children engaging in criminal activities. If you share our concerns, contact your local MP and express your support for this issue.