Juvenile Justice Program
Cavan Secure Care Facility
SA, June 2008
CHALLENGE: 10×14 Bricks – Stories from Youth in Lock-up was produced at Cavan Secure Care Facility (SA) and its Youth Education Centre [DECS] over a 5-week intensive workshop. Participants learnt essential 21st Century digital media skills to create relevant crime prevention messages for their peers. In candid meet-the-director documentaries and in their own films young offenders share their life choices about crime and the consequences.
Why choose to commit a crime? How far will you go?
Is it worth it? What is it like in lock-up? What would you do differently? What can you do to change?
This new peer-educational DVD offers relevant crime prevention strategies from the experts: Young offenders share their life choices, crimes and consequences in their own films and unique ‘meet-the-directors’ documentaries – made behind bars.
For info kit and order forms visit the DVD section.
Click here to buy the resource kit in our online shop.
PARTNERS: The Australian Government through the Attorney General’s Department; Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations; the Australia Council for the Arts Creative Community Partnerships Initiative; Arts SA Partnerships for Healthy Communities; Department of Families and Communities; Cavan Secure Care Training Centre; Youth Education Centre Cavan DECS; Tallstoreez Productionz; Apple Australia
Trailer: 10×14 Bricks – Stories from Youth in Lock-Up
Watch the youth films and ‘meet the director’ documentaries here:
CHOICES: Watch
Compact Crib + Meet the Director [6’ 31]
Shane is 15, he knows it is not fun in lock up but he keeps coming back. What does he need to do to break the cycle?
ANGER: Watch
Angry, Young, Male + Meet the Director [10’ 48]
Bayden is 17, after a drunken night he woke up in a police cell charged with attempted murder. What does he need to do to control his anger?
REGRET: Watch
If Only… + Meet the Director [10’ 49] + Restorative Justice [6’ 23]
Sam is 18, he regrets committing armed robbery to finance a drug debt. What does he need to do to avoid future events that could lead to crime? What is the impact of your offence on you, your family, your victims?
HOPE: Watch
Another Day in this Place + Meet the Director [10’ 48]
Robert is 18, he feels like he is trapped in a cage, waiting for the day he can leave. What can he do to make his dreams become reality?
FREEDOM: Watch
Getting Out, Staying Out + Meet the Director [12’31]
Greg is 17, he is ʻjust an Indigenous boy trying to get through life and come out on topʼ. What does he need to do to stay out of trouble? What support is available?
OUTCOMES: All 5 team members deeply engaged with the project, as they all had to make their own story AND be the production team and talent in their peers’ films. Through the unique ‘meet-the-director’ mini-docs we were able to delve deeper into each of their stories of crimes & consequences, and also showcase the incredible film making process.
SCREENINGS & AWARDS: 10×14 Bricks won the SA Screen Awards 2009 for Best Innovation in Digital Media and was nominated for Best Editing and Best Cinematography.
The Department received 500 free copies for targeted communities and Tallstoreez is now starting to distribute the resource into schools.
James Armitage, Regional Coordinator, SA Indigenous Policy & Service Delivery Branch, Australian Government, Attorney-General’s Department, July 2009
The 10×14 Bricks DVD not only provides an account of crime prevention strategies from the ‘world of the young offender’
but has provided the Department with an ideal medium and resource for new recruits and graduates who are wanting to
work with Indigenous young offenders and the juvenile justice system. The DVD has great potential to be used as a tool
for the Department’s induction process when new recruits commence working in the Indigenous Justice arena.
Gerri Walker, Principal, Youth Education Centre Cavan, March 2009
… an extremely valuable tool to engage youth on issues around values, crime and consequences, drugs, ethics, family and justice. The questions and exercises in the education manual are really helping students tease out and develop coping strategies for themselves. I’ve found its best to work through the stories one at a time, there is so much to learn from each of them. The documentaries in particular triggers so much open discussion around feelings such as anger, hope, fear, and pressure, its actually quite wonderful to see. Its easy to use, and I’d recommend it to anyone working with young people, particularly those young people at risk…
Tricia Thwaites, Youth Worker, Families SA Whyalla, June 2009
Hi! Yes we did receive the copy of 10 x 14 Bricks , thank you.
We used it only a few weeks ago in our Victim Awareness Program and found it to be quite a useful resource for our youth to watch. It gave our clients a bit of an insight into detention centres & the possible outcome awaiting some.
Overall…. we found it to be informative and interesting, although we were a little disappointed it didn’t show more of Cavan itself e.g . education block/recreational activities.
Well done to all those involved!
Cheers J
Margie Hawkins, Intake Worker, Ozark-Dale County Family Service Center, USA, May 2009
10 X 14 Bricks should be very effective in the classroom of teens and young adults because of its personnal nature and the sincere approach used to relate true stories of actions taken and consequences that resulted in each case.
Each one was genuine and sometimes heart breaking in its sincereity. Especially impressive was the way in which each story was told from the director’s viewpoint and given a personal side by including family members and friends.
The story told what life was like on a daily basis for each person and what their hopes for the future were. After each story was told, the viewer was given a chance to see what has happened to each person six months later. Some of the people in the stories were released and some were still incarcerated. This gives the viewer a true sense of the real life outcomes of people who get into these situations.
One story was entitled “If Only”, and ask the question, what might have been the outcome for this particular individual if only this one incident had not taken place. This is a question most people have asked themselves at one time or other in their life experiences. This type of question leads to self-evaluation and can be of help when the next incident presents itself.
All the people who are telling their stories in this film are between the ages of 15 and 19 years old and their stories are true. Teens and young adults should be able to relate to these stories and to the people telling them.
Anni Cottle, Youth Education Centre, Cavan Secure Care, February 2009
Hi Jen, Carl and crew, Just a note to thank you for the 10×14 Bricks DVD. You have all done such a wonderful job. Shane has spent some time watching it as I am currently teaching him and some of the others boys have seen bits and pieces. We are grateful for your contribution in working with the boys and look forward to working again with you in the future. Regards, Anni
Tags: crime prevention, indigenous, social justice, youth