A petition has been created to push for a Youth Koori Court to be established in Lismore.
“The Northern Rivers and North Coast of NSW have a disproportionate number of Indigenous youth in contact with the criminal justice system,” the petition states.
Last decade, over 50 per cent of arrested Indigenous youth were re-offenders.
The Koori Court
The Youth Koori Court operates out of the Children’s Court. It was established in Parramatta in Sydney’s Western Suburbs in 2015 to reduce the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in custody. It also aims to provide interventions to help set these young people back on the right path.
The Koori Court operates on a more relaxed and culturally appropriate basis. Police officers don’t wear uniforms and the magistrate sits at a table with Indigenous Elders and other participants.
If key issues such as drugs, alcohol, mental health, housing and education are addressed, there is a greater chance of keeping young indigenous offenders out of detention.
Follow the prompts on this link to sign the petition and support the establishment of a Koori Court in Lismore: HERE
If you have been arrested and would like to be sentenced in the Koori Court in Sydney, contact O’Brien Criminal and Civil Solicitors on 02 9261 4281 or .
