Per year, it costs around $๐ญ.๐ฎ ๐บ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ผ๐ป to keep one young person in custody in Australia.
And despite that investment, the outcomes remain devastatingly consistent: the rate of reoffending climbs to as high as 86% within 12 months.
๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฒ๐บ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป, ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ:
The pattern behind those numbers is structural. We continue to fund containment (beds, remand, administration) far more readily than we fund transition (stable housing, support networks, education and work pathways in the community). NSW trend data underline how policy emphasis has skewed towards remand and custody, with youth numbers in detention rising and bail refusals up.
At Praxis Youth, we aim to change this equation. For the cost of incarcerating a young person for two weeks, they could be housed and supported for two years โ precisely the conditions linked to lower reoffending โ at a fraction of detention costs. The question isn’t whether we can afford to invest in change; it’s whether we can afford not to.
Our system excels at managing risk inside the gate, but underinvests in what prevents returns under release. The national cost profile and return-to-supervision rates clearly reflect that imbalance.
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐๐๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฝ:
In Norway, recidivism is among the lowest in the world – around 18-20% reconviction within two years – under a model built on the principle of normality (punishment is loss of liberty; other rights remain), with education, work and relationships embedded into daily life.
Norway’s approach reveals key priorities in reducing youth recidivism and crime: stability, connection, skills and dignity from day one – exactly what housing-first re-entry aims to deliver.
Praxis Youth is built on a simple truth: ๐ฏ๐ฐ ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐ค๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐จ๐ฆ๐ด ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ช๐ด๐ฐ๐ญ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ.
Our approach starts where the justice system is failing – with stable housing and the rebuilding of social networks that give young people belonging, accountability and purpose.
Systemic change doesn’t always start in parliament or policy rooms. Sometimes, it begins in a small apartment, with a young person who finally has a key, a roof and a reason to believe that tomorrow can look different.
