The 120909:1 Ratio
Every verified youth justice program in Australia, plotted by cost and evidence strength. The most expensive option — detention at $1330K/year — is the red line. Most programs sit far below it.
Programs with cost data
622
of 1000 total
Median cost
$5K
vs $1.3M detention
Cheapest Effective
$11
120909:1 ratio vs detention
Unfunded Effective+
26
rated Effective+ but <$100K funding
Evidence levels
Proven: 2, Effective: 25, Promising: 238, Indigenous-led: 50, Untested: 685
Cost vs Evidence
Evidence Breakdown
| Evidence Level | Programs | With Cost Data | Avg Cost/Year | Median Cost/Year | Savings vs Detention |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proven | 2 | 2 | $5K | $5K | $1.3M |
| Effective | 25 | 25 | $5K | $5K | $1.3M |
| Promising | 238 | 238 | $12K | $5K | $1.3M |
| Indigenous-led | 50 | 50 | $7K | $5K | $1.3M |
| Untested | 685 | 307 | $8K | $6K | $1.3M |
Best Buys: Top 10 Cost-Effective Programs
Lowest cost per young person among programs rated Effective or Proven
Youth Engagement Grants
Unknown org
$11/yr
120909:1 ratio
$0 funded
NAAJA Youth Justice Advocacy and Legal Services
Unknown org
$4K/yr
380:1 ratio
$0 funded
Aboriginal Family Violence Legal Service
Unknown org
$4K/yr
380:1 ratio
$0 funded
The Deadly Matters Program
Unknown org
$5K/yr
266:1 ratio
$0 funded
Driver Licensing Initiative
Unknown org
$5K/yr
266:1 ratio
$0 funded
Coordinated Youth Engagement
Unknown org
$5K/yr
266:1 ratio
$0 funded
Peacemaker Program
Unknown org
$5K/yr
266:1 ratio
$0 funded
Local Decision-Making Agreement
Unknown org
$5K/yr
266:1 ratio
$0 funded
Young Luv
Unknown org
$5K/yr
266:1 ratio
$0 funded
Schools as Community Hubs — Wrap-Around Model
Unknown org
$5K/yr
266:1 ratio
$0 funded
Funding Gap: Effective Programs Getting Less Than $100K
Programs rated Effective or Proven but receiving less than $100K in tracked government funding
| Program | Organisation | State | Cost/Year | Evidence | Govt Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Youth Engagement Grants | - | - | $11 | Effective | $0 |
| NAAJA Youth Justice Advocacy and Legal Services | - | - | $4K | Effective | $0 |
| Aboriginal Family Violence Legal Service | - | - | $4K | Effective | $0 |
| The Deadly Matters Program | - | - | $5K | Effective | $0 |
| Driver Licensing Initiative | - | - | $5K | Effective | $0 |
| Coordinated Youth Engagement | - | - | $5K | Effective | $0 |
| Peacemaker Program | - | - | $5K | Proven | $0 |
| Local Decision-Making Agreement | - | - | $5K | Effective | $0 |
| Young Luv | - | - | $5K | Effective | $0 |
| Schools as Community Hubs — Wrap-Around Model | - | - | $5K | Effective | $0 |
| headspace Mount Druitt | - | - | $5K | Effective | $0 |
| Oochiumpa Youth Services | - | - | $5K | Effective | $0 |
| Youth Yarnz After Dark | - | - | $5K | Effective | $0 |
| GEBIE GANG Youth Program | - | - | $5K | Effective | $0 |
| Youth HQ | - | - | $5K | Effective | $0 |
| PCYC Mount Druitt Youth Programs | - | - | $5K | Effective | $0 |
| Brotherhood of St Laurence Youth Programs | - | - | $5K | Effective | $0 |
| Jesuit Social Services Youth Justice Programs VIC | - | - | $5K | Effective | $0 |
| Anindilyakwa Community Court | - | - | $5K | Proven | $0 |
| Community Justice Group | - | - | $5K | Effective | $0 |
Showing 20 of 26 underfunded programs
Methodology
Data sourced from the ALMA (Alternative Local Models of Australia) database.1,000 verified interventions, 622 with cost-per-young-person data.
Detention cost benchmark of $1.33M/year sourced from Productivity Commission Report on Government Services (ROGS) 2024-25, Table 17A.20.
Funding data aggregated from justice funding records across federal and state sources. Programs shown as "$0 funded" may receive funding through channels not yet tracked.
Evidence levels assigned through systematic review: Proven (RCT with replication), Effective (strong evaluation), Promising (community-endorsed), Indigenous-led (culturally grounded), Untested (pilot/theory stage).