Youth spaces linked to crime reduction in Western Australia
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Community groups in Western Australia established youth night spaces in Broome and Fitzroy Crossing to address concerns about young people and crime.
The Marra Warra Warra Aboriginal Corporation launched the Fitzroy Crossing hub in 2024 after hearing from at-risk youth and families. Since opening, the space has served over 55,000 meals to more than 950 children. In Broome, the Ngurra Buru night space also began as a pilot program in 2024, responding to police and community worries about unsupervised youth.
An independent evaluation of the Broome facility found that all surveyed children reported feeling safe, having someone to talk to, and receiving food and transportation. Crime rates in three Broome suburbs decreased during the first 13 months the space was open. Leaders now view these spaces as models for other communities. Kununurra, another town in the Kimberley region, opened a temporary night space in August, and plans to launch a permanent facility by the end of the year.
WA Children's Court president Hylton Quail expects the program will decrease crime in Kununurra as it has in other towns.
