The 11th annual Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards were announced in Canberra on 24 October 2002. The Awards recognise outstanding projects contributing to the prevention or reduction of violence in Australia. This year, for the first time, the awards also recognised projects dealing with the prevention or reduction of crime in general. Four projects received monetary awards of $10,000, five projects received $5000, three projects received $3000; two projects received a combined award of $3000 and twenty seven projects were awarded $2,000.
Following is a brief description of the 2002 National Winners, each of whom received $10,000.
BADYAC Flexi School (Queensland)
The Flexi School was developed to provide young people, who were not attending any learning institute through choice, with a daytime program that offers social and education enrichment and promotes positive behaviours. A personal plan of achievement is developed for each individual and the goals of the individual are given intensive support. This project values young people and encourages them to develop their potential so that they may make more appropriate life choices as participating members of the community.
CAR SAFE (South Australia)
The principal objective of the CAR SAFE project is to reduce theft and illegal interference of motor vehicles from "hot spot" car parks by heightening public awareness of theft and illegal interference with motor vehicles in general, by deterring offenders through the implementation of situational crime prevention measures (particularly target hardening) and the development and installation of an economically viable motor vehicle anti-theft device for vehicles manufactured between 1970 and 1990.
Project Samaritan (Tasmania)
Project Samaritan is a highly successful community policing strategy, involving police and Neighbourhood Watch volunteers, that provides victims with crime prevention advice and support. Police provide burglary victims with a kit containing information about victims-of-crime services, Neighbourhood Watch and burglary prevention. The kit also gives advice about the possibility of repeat victimisation and includes Neighbour Notification Cards for victims to give to their neighbours, advising them of the burglary. Neighbourhood Watch volunteers visit victims to provide support and offer additional crime prevention advice. .
HYPE (Western Australia)
The Hillary's Youth Project Enquiry (HYPE) is an interagency committee project which was formed to address concerns in relation to large congregations of young people engaging in antisocial behaviour during the summer break. HYPE workers establish credibility with young people, identify behaviours which are seen as causing issues and then inform young people of the consequences of their actions. Police and security services intervene only if young people continue to act in an inappropriate manner.