The Victorian Government has announced a $1 million investment into a new anti-gang program aimed at preventing the recruitment of young people into criminal networks.
Managed by the Violence Reduction Unit, the initiative features a partnership with Think Village to deliver community workshops for parents and teenagers.
These sessions are designed to help families identify grooming tactics used by gangs on social media, encrypted messaging apps, and gaming platforms.
The program includes a statewide digital campaign to assist youth in recognizing recruitment efforts and seeking help. Additionally, the Violence Reduction Unit will launch an initiative focused on intervening with individuals identified as being at the highest risk of joining gangs, connecting them with social supports to steer them away from violent activity.
This model is based on violence reduction strategies utilized in the United Kingdom, where similar units reported a 48 percent drop in violent crime in Scotland and a 28 percent decrease in knife crime injuries among youth in London. The unit operates across multiple sectors, including education, health, housing, and the justice system, to address the underlying causes of crime.
Premier Jacinta Allan stated that the plan combines early intervention with serious legal consequences for those leading criminal rings. Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny and Minister for Police Anthony Carbines noted that the program adapts proven overseas methods to the Victorian context.
While the government emphasized the importance of these preventative measures, they noted that the opposition previously called for the unit to be cancelled. Think Village representatives confirmed the program will be evidence-based and delivered directly within schools and local communities.
