Australasian Youth Justice Administrators present the

5th Australasian Youth Justice Conference Strengthening Connections: The Power of Relationships and Strong Service Partnerships

Melbourne Cricket Ground 
16th – 18th April, 2024


Keynote Speakers

Keith Cruise 

Keith Cruise is Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychology at Fordham University, NY, USA.  Dr. Cruise is also the Co-Director of the Center for Trauma Recovery and Juvenile Justice (CTRJJ), a NCTSN Category II training and technical assistance center focused on enhancing a framework of trauma-informed care for youth and families experiencing justice system involvement.  Dr. Cruise conducts research on the clinical-forensic assessment of adolescents within the juvenile justice system and has received grant funding (NIJ, OJJDP, SAMHSA) to examine the effectiveness of enhanced mental health screening for poly-victimization, trauma-informed case planning, and the impact of trauma screening on service delivery and legal outcomes for justice-involved youth.  Dr. Cruise provides technical assistance and consultation to local and state juvenile justice systems on behavioral health screening, evidence-based use of risk/needs assessments, trauma treatment implementation, and collaborative, system-level coordination to enhance trauma informed care.  His overarching focus is adopting, implementing, and sustaining evidence-based practices in juvenile justice systems that increase access to appropriate services, enhance adolescent and family functioning, and capitalize on strengths to support recovery while also maintaining community safety. 

Arrin Hazelbane  

Mr Arrin Hazelbane is a proud Warai and Kokatha man with cultural connections to the Finniss River region in the Northern Territory and the Far West Coast in South Australia who currently is the A/Director, Aboriginal Practice and Partnerships in the Department of Human Services.

Mr Hazelbane was most recently the General Manager, Aboriginal Practice and Services within the Department of Human Services and had responsibility for strengthening partnerships with Aboriginal people across South Australia and improving outcomes for Aboriginal children and young people, their families and communities.  

He has held various positions across the State Government and has served on a range of committees working on policy and strategic initiatives. 

Mr Hazelbane was a South Australian delegate to the First Nations National Constitutional Convention in Uluru and a proud signatory to the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

Nyachan Nyak  

Nyachan Nyak is the visionary founder and managing director of Nas Recovery Centre (NRC), delivering collaborative and culturally determined substance use and related mental health issues support to youth, adults and families from African backgrounds. 

Nyachan earned her master's degree in mental health counselling and a bachelor of Community Mental health, Alcohol and Other Drugs. She is skilled suicide prevention trainer and actively participates as a member in various committees, including the Department of Justice and Community Safety Advisory Committee and the State and Territory Suicide Prevention Response Expert Committee. In these roles, she advises the government on evidence-based strategies for suicide prevention and response.

Nyachan has over 10 years of experience in health treatment services and project management. She firmly believes in the importance of integrated care and collaboration among professionals from various disciplines. Nyachan's vast insights and experience also makes her a sought-after keynote speaker on the topic of Strengthening Connections: The Power of Relationships and Strong Service Partnerships.

Meena Singh  

Meena Singh is the Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People in Victoria. She is a Yorta Yorta and Indian woman, born and living on the land of the Kulin Nations. Meena started her legal career with Victoria Legal Aid, where she practised in human rights and criminal law, and was also their inaugural Associate Director, Aboriginal Services. She has led legal services and programs at the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and the Human Rights Law Centre, as well as consulting in training and organisational development across many organisations. 

She has a passion for centering the voices of people with lived experience and service design that promotes inclusion, connection and ultimately achieve social justice and equitable outcomes. 

Stephane Shepherd  

Dr Stephane Shepherd is Professor of Forensic Psychology and Criminology at the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation at Deakin University. He has developed an internationally recognised body of research and writing on the cultural, social and mental health needs of young people who have contact with the justice system. He has published over 100 articles and book chapters, and he has received over 5 million in research funding. In 2020, he was named one of ABCs top 5 researchers under 40, and he received the 2020 Victorian Government Multi-Cultural Award for Excellence in Justice. Dr. Shepherd also received the American Psychology-Law Society’s Early Career Award in 2019, and he was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship in 2015. Dr. Shepherd is a member of the Victorian Youth Parole Board, the Victorian Government African Communities Committee and the Victorian Government’s Expert Advisory Committee for Countering Violent Extremism.

Contact Us

The 5th Australasian Youth Justice Conference is proudly delivered by the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science at Swinburne University of Technology.

Conference Organiser

Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science
Swinburne University of Technology
www.swinburne.edu.au/cfbs

Get in Touch

+61 3 9214 6222