Sub-Committees

AYJA has two principal working groups.

Youth Justice Data and Information Group (YJ DIG)

The Youth Justice Data and Information Group (YJ DIG) is one of these groups.

YJ DIG is a subcommittee of AYJA and is responsible for developing comparable national youth justice data and key performance indicators. YJ DIG consists of representatives from each state and territory department responsible for youth justice, as well as the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the Productivity Commission (PC). YJ DIG members represent the views of their respective jurisdictions and ensure that their AYJA member is regularly updated on the work of the YJ DIG.

YJ DIG is the technical vehicle for collecting jurisdictional data and providing expert advice to inform the research in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between AYJA and AIHW. A Schedule of research is reviewed and renewed every three years.

As stipulated in the Terms of Reference for YJ DIG, YJ DIG member’s main tasks include:

implementing and monitoring the MoU between AYJA and AIHW
implementing and developing the Youth Justice National Minimum Data Set (YJ NMDS)
preparing information for publication in reports as specified under the Schedule to the MoU
providing a forum for discussion on the youth justice performance measures published or proposed for the Report on Government Services (RoGS), and their counting rules
undertaking other information and data-related projects as directed by AYJA
providing advice to AYJA on issues relating to information and data.

YJ DIG is chaired by a member of AYJA with Secretariat support provided by AIHW.

YJ DIG holds one face-to-face meeting each year in March and five teleconferences.

Child Protection and Youth Justice Working Group (CPYJWG)

YJ DIG members also provide jurisdictional representation on the Child Protection and Youth Justice Working Group (CPYJWG) (on behalf of AYJA) and work with AIHW and the PC to provide technical expertise in the development of national performance indicators for youth justice services in Chapter 17 of the RoGS. Shared YJ DIG/CPYJWG members represent the views of their respective jurisdictions and the position of AYJA on all matters requiring CPYJWG endorsement.

AYJA and CPYJWG work closely and collaboratively to progress the youth justice services performance indicators in Chapter 17 of the RoGS. AYJA recommendations regarding RoGS are submitted by CPYJWG to the Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision (RGSP) at their face-to-face meetings, as part of the CPYJWG Convener’s Report.

CPYJWG is Chaired by the CPYJWG Convener (who is a member of the Steering Committee for RGSP) and Secretariat is provided by the PC. The AYJA Chair has an observatory role on CPYJWG.

CPYJWG holds two face-to-face meetings and one teleconference each year. The first face-to-face meeting is a joint back-to-back meeting with the YJ DIG meeting. The Steering Committee for RGSP holds one face-to-face meeting and two teleconferences each year. AYJA has no role at the Steering Committee for RGSP forums. The CPYJWG Secretariat advises AYJA of meeting outcomes as part of the CPYJWG updates.