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Transforming Youth Justice in Australia
The Diagrama Foundation's proven therapeutic approach reduces recidivism and builds stronger communities. Discover a cost-effective, human-centered approach to youth justice.
The Diagrama Foundation's proven therapeutic approach reduces recidivism and builds stronger communities. Discover a cost-effective, human-centered approach to youth justice.
Discover how the Diagrama Model is transforming youth justice with education, rehabilitation, and real second chances—a proven alternative to high-cost, high-recidivism detention.
"The rules that are in the center are very important. The rule that is here, the schedule, is what we have any person in any house."
"The measure is to occupy your head. The more activities and things you do, the better because time flies by."
"They’re more open here, you can leave to the centre when you are good, there is always activities to do and even play ping-pong."
"Our centres are not just places of confinement; they are spaces for growth."
"It's much more about adding and teaching them. And look, certain obligation, as rights they have, to do things."
"If you really want your action to provoke a future change, you cannot intervene exclusively by punishing. You have to intervene in all the factors that could have influenced that person currently functions as they do, but at all levels."
"They are still people the same here as those outside. And I think the treatment with people, as far as I'm concerned, I think I do well."
"It's about combining a bit of control with the educational, affective, and attentive part. Just as with our own child we would also do that."
"Change is possible when we provide the right support at the right time."
"It's actually about implementing things that we know works, but also having the patience to follow through with that course until we see the outcomes."
By learning from Spain’s success and adapting it to Australia’s unique cultural and community needs, we can create a system that works for young people, their families, and the broader society. Below, we answer some of the most important questions about why reform is needed and how it can happen.
The Diagrama Model is a youth justice approach from Spain that prioritises rehabilitation over punishment. It operates on the principles of education, therapeutic support, and reintegration rather than confinement and strict security. Youth detention facilities under this model are managed by non-profits, ensuring a focus on care rather than profit.
Spain’s system focuses on re-education and reintegration, while Australia’s system remains largely punitive and detention-based. Key differences include:
* Higher minimum age of criminal responsibility (14 in Spain vs. 10 in Australia).
* Greater judicial involvement in a child’s progress post-sentencing.
* Less reliance on physical security measures in youth facilities.
* Stronger vocational and education programs aimed at long-term rehabilitation.
* Lower recidivism rates – only 13.6% of youth in Diagrama facilities reoffend within six years, compared to Australia’s 80-96% recidivism rate within 12 months.
* Cost-effective – it reduces taxpayer burden by preventing reoffending and investing in vocational and educational pathways.
* Not for-profit institutions – youth justice in Spain is not privatised, unlike in Australia, ensuring the focus remains on care rather than profit.
Queensland has Australia’s highest rates of youth detention, with 60% of detained youth being Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. The current system is punitive, expensive, and ineffective, as up to 96% of young people reoffend within 12 months of release.
Cultural connection is critical for rehabilitation. Indigenous-led programs have proven effective in reducing reoffending by strengthening identity, family relationships, and connection to Country. Justice reinvestment models focus on community-based support rather than detention.
The Diagrama Model is fundamentally different because it prioritises rehabilitation over punishment. Instead of isolating young people in high-security detention centres, it provides:
* Education and vocational training as a core part of daily life.
* Small, home-like units with a maximum of 12 young people per group.
* Close relationships with educators, who live, eat, and work alongside the youth.
* A progressive sentencing system, where youth transition through open, semi-open, and closed settings based on their progress.
* This approach has proven to lower reoffending rates and help young people reintegrate successfully into their communities.
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