Community Access Point (CAP)

The notion of a multi-service portal operating at the Toowoomba Magistrates Court draws upon a number of projects operating internationally, where the court precinct is seen as a catchment area for many marginalised people. That is to say, there is strong contemporary research that indicates that a person’s interaction with the criminal courts is often one of many converging issues, the last of which involves criminal activity and consequently contact with the criminal justice system. The interventionist approach of the TASC Disability Law Project that has revealed that 91 % of all disabled defendants represented by the project in the last three years have not re-offended is indicative of the success of early intervention strategies and the triumph that can be realised by plugging offenders into support services.

TASC, with the assistance of the Department of Justice & Attorney General will initiate an access point to TASC services, as well as services in the wider community by way of utilising a court interview room during times of substantial court traffic and alerting people by way of signage to the availability of such immediate access to services. The Access Point may also prove useful in assisting Magistrates with available community options for offenders and/or general information.

Hours of Operation: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 8:30 to 10:30 am at Toowoomba’s Magistrate’s Court.