VPRS 17963 Classification Committee Meeting Minutes

The records in this series comprise of minutes of the Adult Court Classification Committee belonging to the Manager of Langi Kal Kal Youth Training Centre (VA 2545).The Adult Court Classification Committee at Turana was established pursuant to the provisions of regulation 147 of the Community Welfare Services Act 1978 (No. 9248).In accordance with regulations 223, 224 and 225, the Classification Committees role was to decide which facility a trainee shall be referred to. Other functions of the Classification Committee associated with this process included specific case by case management issues for individual trainees. In doing this, the Classification Committee was attempting to answer several questions simultaneously:- which facility can most effectively meet the needs of the trainee?- what is the responsible decision in terms of the safety and security of this trainee?- what is the responsible decision in terms of the safety of staff and other trainees, the protection of the community, and the security and orderly management of the Youth Training Centre (YTC) system?Whenever possible, the decisions of the Committee were to be by consensus; if consensus was not reached, the Chairperson was to make the decision. In cases of serious disagreement, the Manager of any YTC facility could refer the matter to the Coordinator, Institutional Services. In general, the Classification Committee could decide on transfers to one of three facilities - Malmsbury, Langi Kal Kal or Acheron - or to remain in Class A, which referred to that Section at Turana. Recommendations could be made to the Youth Parole Board for early parole or transfer to prison. In some cases, trainees aged less than 17 could be referred to the Adult Classification Committee for consideration for an Adult YTC placement.Members of the Classification Committee could include :- Manager, Turana or nominee- Manager, Langi Kal Kal or nominee- Manager, Malmsbury or nominee- Principal Youth Officer, Class A- Senior Youth Officer, Class A- Other interested persons as appropriate- Classification Committee Secretary.Records in this series are the minutes belonging to the Manager, Langi Kal Kal Youth Training Centre. The inside covers of the first three books records the institutional capacity at Langi Kal Kal, section by section. The numbers did not change during the period. The Minutes are hand written.In general, Langi Kal Kal took younger trainees who required further support. Researchers should be aware that this did not imply that Langi Kal Kal took mainly first offenders, as a reasonable proportion of multiple offenders were classified there.Regulations:147 Classification Committee means any committee appointed as such by the Director-General for the purpose of classifying trainees in accordance with criteria set out in these regulations.Operations of the Classification Committee were governed by Regulations 223, 224, and 225.223 Subject to the approval of the Superintendent, each trainee shall be classified by the Classification Committee.224 In determining classification, the Committee shall have regard to age, social history, prior convictions, aptitude and suitability for training and employment of the trainee, the nature of current offence, the length of committal and the need for security at the Remand Centre or Youth Training Centre.225 The Classification Committee shall regularly review classifications and may alter them when appropriate to do so.