Evaluation into WA CVE program not released publicly as summary findings express ongoing need for awareness

WA Police won’t release the full findings of an independent review into the State’s de-radicalisation program, despite the system failing to prevent a Perth teenager from carrying out a terrorist attack. Instead of releasing the complete evaluation into the countering violent extremism program, authorities are leaning on a summary of the report to claim the strategy aligns with “effective practice” to help deter at-risk individuals from offending. The glowing public assessment comes despite the program failing to stop “James” — a radicalised teenager from going on to commit a violent terrorist attack after spending two years in the voluntary, police-led intervention program. In May 2024, the then 16-year-old launched into a stabbing attack on a stranger at Willetton and was shot dead by responding police. Just before the attack, James had sent a message to several people stating he was going “on the path of jihad”. He was taking part in the countering violence extremism program after dropping a homemade explosive device into a toilet at Rossmoyne Senior High School, and accessing extremist material online when he was just 14-years-old. Detective Superintendent Ricky Chadwick, from the WA Police Security Operations division, arranged the review into the countering violent extremism and living safe together intervention program. After reading the findings, he claims the program - which is meant to prevent offending - couldn’t have done anything more to stop James from committing the terrorist attack. “Certainly at a quick glance, there’s certainly nothing that I’ve seen that causes me significant concern about the way that matter was handled up until that point,” Det. Supt. Chadwick said. “I’m mindful there’s a coronial inquest, so I don’t want to speak in too much detail in relation to that, but I can say that there was a massive amount of effort put into that client by a broad range of service providers,” he said. “We are as keen as anybody to make sure our program is the best it can be, and we’ll obviously participate in the coronial inquiry, and we’ll see what comes out from that. “Our interest has always been the safety of the client and the broader public, and if we can do things better, 100 per cent, I want to hear it. “It’s not to say anything we’ve done has been poor, but we’ll let this play out.” Det. Supt. Chadwick said the evaluation of the program by ACIL Allen, which commenced after James’ death, was not in direct response to the incident. The full report has been provided to the Police Minister Reece Whitby and the education department, however WA Police won’t release the document publicly or explain the reason for the decision. Instead, it has released a list of summary findings, where ACIL Allen was positive of the Police-run program and said it was in line with “effective practice, with adaptations for the local context”. The evaluation highlighted the need for ongoing awareness from “frontline personnel” and said, “strategic oversight is essential to monitoring participants’ progress.” “A therapeutic approach is key to supporting participant engagement, improvements in protective factors and disengagement from violent extremism; however, there can be challenges in balancing the therapeutic approach with risk management required. “The influence of online environments is expanding, and ideological movements are diversifying. These changes are fuelled by the rapid evolution of the drivers towards violent extremism, which are drawing in more people who are young, have less static ideologies and have multiple and complex needs.” It’s understood that James had been living with autism, and his parents had struggled to get mental health support and a diagnosis in his early years. The review of the program found that “many participants” had been connected with appropriate services for “health and wellbeing, including mental health workers and NDIS support.” “Participants have strengthened family relationships with families supported to increase their capacity to support education and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for the participant,” it said. Det Supt. Chadwick also reiterated the program’s “therapeutic-based approach”. “I want the public to understand, this program is set up because we don’t want to be locking up young people. Ultimately, we don’t want to be locking anyone up if we have to, but more importantly, young people,” he said. “Where we want to be is identifying people who are radicalising earlier on, so we can then assist them and or their family to intervene.”