Data-driven

By Bridget Cook
A UNIQUE electronic referral system to help victims of crime is set to be launched in the City of Casey.
The Victoria Police SupportLink project is a ‘one-stop shop’ for police to make consent based referrals, making available specialised support for victims of crime and youth and crime prevention.
The project is being expanded into more than 30 Police Service Areas (PSAs) across the state – including Casey – after the successful trials in Melbourne, Swan Hill and Mildura in 2010.
Strategy and Organisational Development Acting Deputy Commissioner Lucinda Nolan said the initiative would ensure that vulnerable people in remote, rural and metropolitan areas have access to critical support services.
“While police have been referring people to support services for a long time, there hasn’t been a common referral system to assist police and support services,” she said.
“Now we have a system within the organisation which will not only save time, but more importantly provide people with access to a range of support services.
“Police may attend an incident where someone is clearly affected by alcohol or drugs or experiencing other issues. We can now easily refer them to a social support service so they can get the help they need. This will open a new chapter in the partnership between police and the social support sector.”
Police from the Transit Safety Division will also be able to refer anyone they come in contact with across the state on the public transport network.
Supportlink is also helping to guide victims through the sometimes lengthy court process, enabling them to be connected to appropriate support.
Referrals for victims of crime in particular have significantly increased with the added framework in place in the trial areas, but Ms Nolan said the project was also a great tool for early intervention.
“Any person coming into contact with police, including victims of crime, young people or the elderly seeking advice on how to secure their property, can be connected to services or counselling at the earliest opportunity,” she said.