The Final Report of the Evaluation of the Northern Territory Agreement - April 2004
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Publication date: April 2004
Author: Urbis Keys Young
In July 2000, the Commonwealth signed an agreement with the Northern Territory to establish a Juvenile Pre-Court Diversion Scheme and jointly fund an Aboriginal Interpreter Service (AIS). Since that time, almost 3,000 juveniles have been offered diversion, around 150 diversion programs have been registered, and around 300 interpreters have responded to over 6,500 interpreter requests.
An independent evaluation of the first three years of the agreement, conducted in 2003 by Urbis JHD, found that the AIS has had a significant impact in enhancing access to services and promoting the well-being of Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory. It also found that the diversion scheme has been effective in reducing the overall number of juveniles who appear before the court. In the 2004-2005 Budget, the Australian Government announced an additional $3.9 million to continue the Agreement until June 2005.
Hard copies of the Final Report of the Evaluation of the NT Agreement can be ordered by calling the Community Safety and Justice Branch on (02) 6250 6298.
