{
  "id": 15083298,
  "title": "'Right path': Diverting Pasifika youth away from jail",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/right-path-diverting-pasifika-youth-away-from-jail",
  "topic": null,
  "section": null,
  "published": "2026-10-16T21:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Discovered",
    "slug": "discovered",
    "url": "https://irrigator.com.au/story/9370198/right-path-diverting-pasifika-youth-away-from-jail"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a bid to keep Pasifika youth out of the criminal justice system, a pioneering program in Sydney is offering a new path away from prison. Chris, a Samoan-Australian man who has been in and out of jail since age 13, credits a cultural connection and advice from the program for keeping him on the right track. His story is not unique; Pasifika people make up a small portion of NSW's population but account for a disproportionate share of adult and juvenile prison populations. In the Mt Druitt suburb, home to thousands of Pasifika residents, gang culture and crime have escalated, with amateur teens enticed by relatively small paydays to carry out violent acts. Diana Curuenavuli, founder of the Number Eight Prison Project, founded the eight-week Mana program aimed at challenging participants for honest reflection and growth while remaining culturally safe. The program introduces them to alternative career paths to those typically emphasized in society, hoping to inspire change. However, Professor Jioji Ravulo from the University of Sydney suggests that harsher punishments do not deter youth crime, and diversion programs targeting minor offenses are more effective. The growing rate of serious, indictable offenses among Pasifika youth in NSW calls for a reevaluation of current approaches.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}