More convictions, more likelihood of jail time, spike in youth robbery - what the latest crime statistics show
The latest crime statistics show a spike in the number of robberies, burglaries and theft by children or young people, continuing an upward trend in youth crime since 2021.
The Ministry of Justice data, released today, is for finalised charges for 2023, meaning they do not include charges that are still before the courts. As such, the data does not necessarily show whether actual crime is rising or falling, though looking at the data over time can indicate trends.
Overall there is a continuing upward trend in sexual and violent crime data - including family violence - while judges appear to be sending more of those convicted of serious or violent offences to prison.
Last year also saw the ongoing pattern of most of those in the youth justice system eventually receiving a discharge, which has contributed to a huge drop-off in youth crime over 15 years.
Of the approximately 1600 young people aged between 10 and 17 with a finalised charge in 2023, more than half were given a s282 discharge, where they’ve admitted their offending and completed interventions. One in five faced a s283 Youth Court order, which ranges in punishment from an adult sentence at the most severe end to a discharge or admonishment (22 per cent received the latter).
Yet the numbers for youth crime continued to soar:
The recent spike in youth crime - particularly in burglary and robbery - has been associated with the social consequences of the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, a point that Police Commissioner Andrew Coster reinforced when he appeared before the justice select committee last month.
“With the more serious offending that we’re seeing, some of that is particularly concerning for the fact that it’s very young children involved; we’ve had kids as young as 7 involved in ram raids,” he told the committee.
There was no easy answer to how to stop it, he said.
“Re-engagement in school has got to be key. We know that the number of kids actively disengaged from school roughly doubled through Covid and that’s the group that we most deal with. So getting those kids back into education, or something, is important.”
In all, almost 50,000 people were convicted on a finalised charge in 2023, up 4 per cent on 2022 though 19 per cent lower than in 2018.
The Coalition Government is preparing for a greater increase in prisoner numbers as it implements its law and order programme, including a crackdown on gangs, scrapping publicly-funded cultural reports, and setting a cap on sentencing discounts.
It also wants to add 500 more frontline police and reduce court delays, but remains locked in pay negotiations with the Police Association, while judicial resources are under increasing strain.
Derek Cheng is a senior journalist who started at the Herald in 2004. He has worked several stints in the press gallery team and is a former deputy political editor.