A new Curtin University-led study reveals that young people who’ve had contact with the youth justice system face a higher risk of premature death.
Published in The Lancet Public Health, the research team analysed 25 years of data (1993 to 2017) and followed 48,670 young people who had contact with the youth justice system in Queensland during that period.
According to lead researcher Professor Stuart Kinner, the Head of the Justice Health Group at Curtin University and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne, this was the first-ever comprehensive study of mortality outcomes among young people after contact with the youth justice system in Australia.
“We found that these young people were 4.2 times more likely than their community peers to die prematurely, with the most common causes of death being suicide, traffic accidents and drug poisoning,” Kinner said. “Most of these tragic deaths occurred before the age of 25.”
The study also discovered that more severe and prolonged contact with the criminal justice system was associated with a greater risk of death. Compared to those who had only been charged with an offence, the probability of premature death was 30% higher for those who had been subjected to community supervision and 90% higher for those who had spent time in youth detention.
“Despite this, 98% of the deaths in our study happened in the community and not in custody. Although it is critical to prevent deaths in custody, we also need to ensure that young people who have been discharged from the youth justice system get the support they need, to help prevent these tragic and largely preventable deaths,” Kinner emphasised.
Moreover, Kinner said that government and community agencies need to work with the youth, as well as their carers and families, to ensure they get help when and where they need it.
“Young people who have had contact with the youth justice system may have difficult family relationships and are at an increased risk of homelessness, mental illness, substance use disorder and risk-taking behaviours, making them particularly vulnerable,” Kinner noted.
To achieve better outcomes for these young people, Kinner calls for coordinated, multi-sectoral investments in care that go beyond the criminal justice system. These efforts must be gender-sensitive, culturally responsive and Indigenous community and organisation-led.
The study, funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), is part of its 2025 10 Best list.
Read also: CREATE Foundation warns against harsher youth penalties
Geraldine is currently the Content Producer for Third Sector, an Akolade channel. Throughout her career, she has written for various industries and international audiences. Her love for writing extends beyond the corporate world, as she also works as a volunteer writer at her local church. Aside from writing, she is also fond of joining fun runs and watching musicals.
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