Mr Christopher Galimitakis1, Ms Ellie Minney1
1Youth Justice Assessment and Intervention Service – Department Of Human Services – South Australia, , Australia
Biography:
Ellie Minney and Chistopher Galimitakis have worked as Senior Psychologists within the Youth Justice Assessment and Intervention Service for over three years. Both holding a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) and Master of Psychology (Clinical), they share a breadth of experience, including Community, Inpatient, and Forensic Mental Health, Child Protection, NDIS, and Youth Justice.
Highly passionate about Youth Justice, they work intensively with young people presenting with significant complexity (e.g., complex trauma, disability, mental health, personality), with community safety at the forefront. In this, they strive to understand how evidence-based psychological assessments and intervention can meaningfully improve individual and community safety.
Abstract:
The Youth Justice Assessment and Intervention Service (YJAIS) stands as a specialised state-wide service within South Australia, dedicated to delivering targeted forensic and clinical consultation, assessment, and intervention for young individuals under Youth Justice mandates. YJAIS Psychology is an intensive service that provides assertive outreach to identify and address outstanding psychological needs, aiming to reduce the risk of re-offending. YJAIS Psychology services young people with complex needs, including marked personality concerns, who are considered to pose a serious risk to community safety.
It has been noted by multiple government agencies that the recent emergence of Youth Gangs comprised mostly of African males within South Australia is of concern, and closely parallels Youth Gang activity in the Eastern States. A Specialist Police Taskforce was established in response. Through intensive clinical involvement, YJAIS Psychology have identified predisposing and maintaining factors relating to South Australian Youth Gang involvement and associated offending behaviour, contributing to the understanding of best practice forensic intervention.
This presentation will focus on sharing forensic clinical experience and evidence relating to the genesis of Youth Gangs in South Australia and psychological mechanisms to reduce risk of re-offending with members. Clinical insights regarding effective evidence-based psychological intervention conducted with these young people will be discussed, including observations regarding validity and fidelity of existing intervention inapplicable to this group. Furthermore, it will explore observations regarding missed opportunities for forensic and early intervention, emphasising mechanisms to facilitate critical engagement with forensic interventions.