Helping to reduce juvenile crime | Rockhampton News | Local News in Rockhampton

CRYPAR co-ordinator Stephanie Holmes feels the program can make a big difference.

STEPHANIE Holmes is on the front line in the battle to reduce juvenile crime in the Rockhampton region – a fight she believes can be won.

Stephanie is the co-ordinator of the Coordinated Response to Young People At Risk (CRYPAR) program, a multi-agency, early intervention program which tries to provide solutions for children “at risk” in the region.

“The amount of referrals we’ve had is eventually going to lead to a decrease in youth crime. We’re getting the right support for the families; we’re providing support to our schools, so it’s a more rounded thing. So police are now working well within the school, within the community and CRYPAR is just helping with this process,” she said.

Police officers have been trained to identify youths at risk, who are then referred to CRYPAR, which provides a link to a community agency which can help with the real problem.

The program has been fully running since November last year, receiving 82 referrals (for 130 individuals), as well as training 106 police officers on the Capricorn Coast and Rockhampton, and these numbers are continually growing.

There have been success stories, with 15 of those referred getting back into school.

Ms Holmes said they had been receiving positive feedback about the program, and wanted to make it known to families that help was available.

“I think parents need to be aware there are support services in place that can assist them and help them either make firmer guidelines for their kids, or they’re just having troubles in trying to reiterate the importance of safety with their children,” she said.

She said teenagers were at a higher risk of falling into trouble because of negative peer influence.

“Teenagers are at the higher risk of problems or concerns. And one of the reasons those aged between 14 and 19 are at higher risk is because of peer influence. So peer influence is very strong within our youth. And parents feel like they’re not as important any more because the peer system has taken over, but we’re here to reiterate that we’re here to support them, that we realise these are ongoing issues and if we can work with them, work with the child and reunite them, there can only be a more positive outcome.”

CRYPAR aims to “reduce barriers which in the past have prevented clients from accessing appropriate support services” to try to ensure young people can be “linked into an appropriate service provider in a timely manner”.

Police can refer children and families to the unit, while schools and community groups and even the families themselves can seek help.

The program aspires to a 48-hour response time once a referral is made.

Sixteen community groups are currently on board to help with the various issues the youths are facing in the areas of mental health, relationships, indigenous issues, housing and other areas.

Ms Holmes said in Rockhampton the three main issues for clients were domestic violence and family conflict, mental health (including self-harm and suicidal ideations) and parenting (includes parental separation and assistance with parental support).

These issues can lead to disengagement from school, family and friends.

She said it wasn’t too late to help a young person who was at risk.

“The younger that we get someone – so through early intervention – the better the outcome. Obviously because patterns aren’t formed completely by an older age. But we do work with older people other than 25. For example, if there’s a 25-year-old son whose parents are having trouble with him, we still work with them.”

Aside from helping individuals at risk, CRYPAR has also been active in working with schools and businesses to hold youth forums into gang activity and suicide prevention.

The program is looking at expanding into Mt Morgan and Woorabinda and is considering an emergency response team to provide help in the case of youth suicide.

Stephanie can be contacted via email at holmes.stephaniej@police.qld.gov.au.

She said crime hadn’t increased in the region but people were becoming more aware of it.