Juvenile Justice NMDS 2007

DSS specific information:

This data element refers to the postcode of the client's last known home address prior to coming under the supervision or case management of the agency.

This is to be recorded for each client on entry to each juvenile justice episode.
A question to be asked of juvenile justice clients may be ‘where do you live’ or ‘what was your most recent home address’.
A juvenile justice remand/detention centre should not be recorded as the last known home address. The data item refers to last known home address of the client prior to being held in a centre or on supervision.

DSS specific information:

This data element refers to the suburb/town/locality name of the client's last known home address prior to coming under the supervision or case management of the agency.

This is to be recorded for each juvenile justice client on entry to each juvenile justice episode.
A question to be asked of juvenile justice clients may be ‘where do you live?' or ‘what was your most recent home address?’
A juvenile justice remand/detention centre should not be recorded as the last known home address. The data item refers to last known home address of the client prior to being held in a centre or on supervision.

DSS specific information:

For the purposes of the Juvenile Justice NMDS, a code consisting of a State and Territory identifier followed by a varying number of characters, depending on the State and Territory.

A State and Territory identifier should be the first character of the ID, according to the following ABS standard:

1.  New South Wales

2.  Victoria

3.  Queensland

4.  South Australia

5.  Western Australia

6.  Tasmania

7.  Northern Territory

8.  Australian Capital Territory

9.  Other Territories (i.e. Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Christmas Island and Jervis Bay Territory)

Each client is to be assigned a Client ID by the juvenile justice department that will be retained by the juvenile and will remain unique to that client through time. The first character of the ID code indicates the State or Territory of the juvenile justice department responsible for the juvenile. Subsequent characters may be alphabetical or numeric and the number of characters may vary between States and Territories. However, within each State and Territory, each client should be identified by a code using a consistent format.

The identifier should be assigned by the State or Territory juvenile justice department when the juvenile first comes under the department’s control or supervision. The client should retain the same unique identifier across episodes and across time.

This data element should be recorded for each juvenile justice client on entry to each juvenile justice episode.

DSS specific information:

For the purposes of the Juvenile Justice NMDS, the episode's 'end date' is the 'exit date'-the date on which supervision or case management of the juvenile justice client, by the juvenile justice department under a specific legal arrangement, ends, or where there is a change in the type of supervision provided and/or the specific juvenile justice agency responsible.

An exit date should be recorded for each separate juvenile justice episode of the client.
An episode will end and an exit date recorded on discharge of the client from an episode of supervision or case management by the juvenile justice department under one of the types of intervention listed in the data domain of juvenile justice episode type. An Exit date should be recorded when:

• the client completes their supervision or case management and exits the juvenile justice system;
• the client completes their supervision or case management under one juvenile justice episode type but is then placed on another supervision or case management with a different juvenile justice episode type (for example, if a client completes remand and enters detention then an exit date would be recorded on discharge from remand);
• the client breaches resulting in a change in juvenile justice episode type (for example, if a juvenile on immediate release breaches their order and is returned to detention, then an exit date will be recorded for the immediate release and an entry date for detention). The date recorded should be the date the client was breached;
• If, for an existing client, another juvenile justice episode type which is ranked more highly on the ranking scale outlined under the description of juvenile justice episode begins;
• If the client dies;
• If a client is transferred from the juvenile justice system to the adult justice system;
• If a client is transferred from the jurisdiction to another State or Territory;
• If a client escapes an exit date should be recorded as at the time of escape.
• If a client on a custodial order (remand or detention) is transferred to a different place of custody within a jurisdiction (for example from a detention centre in Sydney to one in Wagga). This constitutes a change in episode and an exit date should be recorded for an episode in Sydney and an entry to an episode in Wagga.

In some circumstances an exit date will be the same as an entry date for a following juvenile justice episode (for example where a juvenile moves directly from detention to parole or supervised release).
A client can be recorded as being on only ONE juvenile justice episode at any point in time (i.e. they cannot have concurrent juvenile justice episodes). Therefore an Entry date must be followed by an Exit date for that episode, before another Entry date can be recorded. If a client is on 2 or more orders at a particular time in a jurisdiction, then the one considered the most serious should be recorded in the juvenile justice NMDS (with ranking as described in the juvenile justice episode data concept, with 1 being most serious and 12 being least serious).
If a client on a juvenile justice episode receives another order that is more highly ranked than the type of order for the original episode, then that original episode should be ended (and an Exit date recorded as the date the new more highly ranked type of order began). A new episode should be commenced (with an Entry date recorded as the date the new more highly ranked order began). The juvenile justice episode type of the second episode will be that of the more highly ranked type of order.
If the second order is of a lower ranking there will be no change in episode and no Exit date or Entry date recorded at the time the new order commences.
However, if the first order is completed by the juvenile, and the second order still applies and is the highest ranked order that is current at the time, then it should be recorded at that point. The Exit date for the second more highly ranked order will be when the client has been deemed to have completed the order. The Entry date for the lower ranked order will be the same date as the Exit date from the higher order, as that is the date when it becomes the most highly ranked order applying to the juvenile.
Approved leave does not constitute a discharge or new admission and so no exit date should be recorded on return from leave.
Escape, if the juvenile is absent for less than 2 days, does not constitute a discharge or new admission and so no exit date should be recorded on return.
Only those breaches resulting in a change in the juvenile justice episode type or a change in the place of custody will signal the end of an episode.
A return to court does not necessarily signal the end of an episode. If it results in no change in juvenile justice episode type of the client, or (if on a custodial intervention) in their place of custody, then a return to court will not constitute a discharge and new episode. For example, a youth on remand may return to court several times (for hearings, outcome, sentencing etc). During this time the type of intervention has not changed or the place of remand. In this case the returns to court would not constitute the end of an episode. However, under this scenario, if the court changed the place of remand of the juvenile, then this would constitute a new episode. If the juvenile is found guilty the commencement of the sentence imposed by the court would also mark the end of the episode of remand and the beginning of a new episode.

DSS specific information:

For the purposes of the Juvenile Justice NMDS, the episode's 'start date' is the 'entry date'-the date on which the client comes under the supervision or case management of the juvenile justice department under a specific legal arrangement or where there is a change in the type of supervision provided and/or the specific juvenile justice agency responsible.

A new episode will begin and an entry date recorded in the following circumstances:

• On admission of the client to a specific period of supervision or case management by the juvenile justice department, under one of the types of intervention listed in the data domain of juvenile justice episode type;
• If, for an existing client, there is a change in juvenile justice episode type, such as from police custody to remand, supervised bail to remand, remand to detention, detention to parole, probation to community service;
• If, for an existing client, another juvenile justice episode type which is ranked more highly on the ranking scale outlined below, begins;
• If a client on a custodial order (remand or detention) is transferred to a different place of custody within a jurisdiction (for example from a detention centre in Sydney to one in Wagga);
• If a client is transferred from the adult justice system to the juvenile justice system;
• If a client is transferred into the State or Territory from another jurisdiction;
• If a client has returned from escape after an absence of 2 days or more.

A person can be recorded as being on only ONE juvenile justice episode at any point in time (i.e. they cannot have concurrent juvenile justice episodes). Therefore an Entry date must be followed by an Exit date for that episode, before another Entry date can be recorded. If a client is on 2 or more orders at a particular time in a jurisdiction, then the one considered the most serious should be recorded in the juvenile justice NMDS (with ranking as described in the juvenile justice episode data concept, with 1 being most serious and 12 being least serious).

If a client on a juvenile justice episode receives another order that is more highly ranked than the order for the original episode, then that original episode should be ended (and an Exit date recorded as the date the new more highly ranked type of order began). A new episode should be commenced (with an Entry date recorded as the date the new more highly ranked order began). The juvenile justice episode type of the second episode will be that of the more highly ranked type of order.

If the second order is of a lower ranking there will be no change in episode and no Exit date or Entry date recorded at the time the new order commences.

However, if the first order is completed by the juvenile, and the second order still applies and is the highest ranked order that is current at the time, then it should be recorded at that point. The Exit date for the second more highly ranked order will be when the client has been deemed to have completed the order. The Entry date for the lower ranked order will be the same date as the Exit date from the higher order, as that is the date when it becomes the most highly ranked order applying to the juvenile.

Approved leave does not constitute a discharge or new admission and so no entry date should be recorded on return from leave.

Escape or abscond, if the juvenile is absent for less than 2 days, does not constitute a discharge or new admission and so no entry date should be recorded on return (unless there is a change in the juvenile justice episode type on his or her return).

A return to court does not necessarily signal the beginning of a new episode. If there is no change in juvenile justice episode type of the client, or (if on a custodial intervention) in their place of custody, then a return to court will not constitute a discharge and new episode. For example, a youth on remand may return to court several times (for hearings, outcome, sentencing etc). During this time the type of intervention has not changed or the place of remand. In this case the returns to court would not constitute the beginning of a new episode. However, under this scenario, if the court changed the place of remand of the juvenile, then this would constitute a new episode. If the juvenile is found guilty the commencement of the sentence imposed by the court would also mark the beginning of an episode.

DSS specific information:

The date on which the juvenile justice client first comes under the supervision or case management of the juvenile justice department under a specific legal arrangement.

The date of first contact is still valid where that date falls outside the scope of the current collection.

DSS specific information:

This information should be recorded on entry to each juvenile justice episode for the client.

This data standard is implemented twice in the Juvenile Justice NMDS. It is collected for the following two items:

• the postcode of the organisational unit within the juvenile justice department that is responsible for the direct supervision or case management of the juvenile justice client;
• the postcode of the location of the juvenile justice remand or detention centre in which the client is being held.

The agency may be an area or regional office within the juvenile justice Department where the juvenile justice worker who is responsible for supervision of the client is located. If the client is in custody in a juvenile justice remand/detention centre then the postcode of that remand or detention centre where the client is being held should be recorded. If a client is involved with several agencies during a juvenile justice episode then the one with the primary role, or the one involved with the juvenile for the longest period, should be recorded.
In some jurisdictions an Indigenous community may be responsible for the actual supervision of the juvenile. In this case, the postcode of the community location should be recorded.
Where a detention centre has two locations but is administered as one centre, the postcode of the centre which is responsible for administration (i.e. responsible for admissions and discharges) should be recorded.

DSS specific information:

This data standard is implemented twice in the Juvenile Justice NMDS. It is collected for the following two items:

• in the episode collection: the name of the organisational unit within the juvenile justice department that is responsible for the direct supervision or case management of the juvenile justice client;
• in the centre collection: the name of the detention or remand centre.

This information should be recorded on entry to each juvenile justice episode for the juvenile justice client.
The Agency may be an area or regional office within the juvenile justice Department where the worker who is responsible for supervision of the client is located. 
A remand/detention centre is a secure facility run by, or on behalf of, the juvenile justice department for the purposes of detaining juvenile justice clients who are either on police arrest, remanded in custody or on a detention order.
If the client is in custody in a juvenile justice remand/detention centre then the name of that remand or detention centre where the client is being held should be recorded as the agency name.
If a client is involved with several agencies during a juvenile justice episode then the one with the primary role, or the one involved with the client for the longest period, should be recorded.
In some jurisdictions an Indigenous community may be responsible for the actual supervision of the juvenile. In this case the community name should be recorded.
Where a detention centre has two locations but is administered as one centre, the name of the centre which is responsible for administration (i.e. responsible for admissions and discharges) should be recorded.

DSS specific information:

The National Corrections Advisory Group calculation of useable prison design capacity is to be used. The calculation is made using the total number of cells designed for single occupancy and the number of designated beds for shared cells or dormitories on each day of a set 12 month period, making note of seasonal variation. Additional beds, which have been placed in any type of accommodation over and above the designated number should be excluded.
Hospital beds should be counted as useable accommodation only if the nature of the bed is such that detainees admitted generally bring their belongings with them and their original cell/bed becomes available for another detainee. They should not be counted when detainees are temporarily moved to a hospital bed.
Discipline, segregation and observation cells are not counted as part of the useable accommodation, as their cell bed is usually not made available for another detainee.
A single cell is a cell or room designed for occupancy by a single person. A shared cell is a cell or room designed for occupancy by two, three or four people. A dormitory is a room designed for occupancy by more than 4 people. 

A calculation of utilisation rate could be used as that defined by the National Corrections Advisory Group to calculate ‘Prison Utilisation’. A summary version of the calculation for prisons is:

Calculate average useable prison design capacity – total the number of cells designed for single occupancy and the number of designated beds for shared cells or dormitories on each day of a set 12 month period, making note of seasonal variation (annual capacity). Divide this by the number of days in the year (365.25).

Calculate daily average prisoner population – total the daily number of prisoners in custody over a set 12 month period (Total number of detainees) and divide by the number of days in the year (365.25).

Total prison utilisation equals total daily average prisoner population divided by average useable prison design capacity multiplied by 100.