BY LAURA WAKELY
A PROGRAM bringing young offenders from the West face-to-face with the trauma they inflict has stopped 93 per cent of them re-offending.
The Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth (PARTY) program takes offenders aged 18-25 years old from the Sunshine Magistrates’ Court for a day to The Alfred hospital.
But this is no field trip.
Usually The Alfred, as one of the three major trauma services in Melbourne, is where these young offenders’ victims end up.
The groups are confronted with horror stories from paramedics, while surgeons speak about the pain experienced in the trauma centre and patients reveal the grim reality of living life in a broken body.
“We (health professionals) see the daily impact of the bad choices that these young offenders are making,” PARTY program manager Jen Thompson said.
“We’re the ones who have to put them and their victims back together.”
Ms Thompson said the program first began in Canada 25 years ago as a way to educate high school children about risk-taking behaviour and has since expanded to 150 sites worldwide, including six in Australia.
In 2009, a Perth program, captured the attention of Sunshine Magistrate Noreen Toohey, Brimbank Police, Youth Junction in Sunshine and The Alfred.
Since then, 346 young offenders, usually on charges for drink-driving, hooning or assault have attended the PARTY pilot in Melbourne.
Keilor Down’s Senior Sergeant Trevor O’Shanassy has seen his fair share of fatal car accidents, brawls and out-of-hand parties.
Police aren’t told why the young offenders have been sent to PARTY, as Sen Sgt O’Shanassy puts it: “All I care is about reaching them on the day”.
“The last option these days is jail. Without being too lenient, you’ve got to give people a chance, especially young people,” he said.
Youth Junction general manager Karen Hart said the organisation follows up on their progress three, six, nine and 12 months on from the program. Of the 231 that have completed 12 months, 93 per cent have not re-offended.
“In the pre-PARTY session (held a week before the trip to The Alfred) they’re quite cocksure, they’ve got a bit of an arrogant attitude, they think they’re untouchable,” Ms Hart said.
Ms Hart said PARTY was a “shock tactic”, with some offenders physically sick and fainting during the day.
Afterwards offenders are given time to reflect and write about their experience and debrief before presenting their experience to the court.
“The change and transformation is unbelievable for most of them,” Ms Hart said.
“It really is making a difference to people’s lives.”
To find out more or donate to the PARTY program visit www.partymelbourne.net.au
