Exclusive: Adam Deacon’s early-intervention program, which has received $27m in government funding, seeks to prevent offending by understanding the child behind the behaviour

You don’t live with mum and dad. School has always been hard – keeping up, fitting in. Then lockdown hits. Classes move online but you don’t have internet access. You fall behind. One day, you skip school altogether.

At a shopping centre, you meet a couple of kids. They seem friendly. They hand you a machete. By the end of the day, you’ve committed a serious, high-profile crime.

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