The Youth Justice NSW Alerts Manual establishes the policy and procedures for managing Alerts in the Client Information Management System (CIMS). Alerts are used to communicate current, critical risks that may affect the safety and wellbeing of young people, staff, visitors, or the community, and that require management beyond standard supervision practices. The manual outlines when Alerts should be created, updated, reviewed, and closed, while emphasising the use of objective, behaviour-based language that is culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and free from bias. It also makes clear that a young person's cultural identity, disability, or mental health diagnosis should not be recorded as a risk factor unless directly relevant to immediate safety planning.
The manual identifies 11 Alert categories, including community and custody environment risks, drug use, escape risk, gang affiliation, health concerns, self-harm, violence, wellbeing, Specialist Support Unit involvement, and national security interests. It provides a structured process requiring staff to assess risks, obtain approval from the appropriate authorised officer, record Alerts in CIMS, communicate them to relevant staff, implement supervision strategies, and regularly review their effectiveness. Alerts must remain current and proportionate to the identified risk, with ongoing monitoring in both custody and community settings, and must be promptly closed when the risk no longer exists or can be managed through normal practices
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