Offending rate fall not consistent

While fewer young people are committing crimes overall, youth offending rates for Ma¯ori and Pasifika have not been dropping at the same rate.

The first Youth Justice Indicators Summary Report shows Ma¯ori and Pasifika youth increasingly make up the greatest proportion of young people who appear in Youth Court.

The rate of offending for children (aged 10-13 years) has fallen by 59 per cent, and offending by young people (aged 14-16 years) has dropped by 63 per cent, between

2010 and 2017.

During that time, the rate of offending by Pa¯keha¯ youth has decreased by 74 per cent, but has decreased 61 per cent for Pasifika, and 59 per cent for Ma¯ ori.

And between 2015 and 2017, the Youth Court appearance rate for Ma¯ori increased by 23 per cent, while the rate for non-Ma¯ori reduced by 12 per cent.

While both minor and serious crimes committed by youth have dropped, minor crimes have dropped more, meaning serious crime takes up a larger proportion of all youth offending.

Associate Minister of Justice Aupito William Sio said the report showed there were areas in the youth justice system where the Government should be working.

‘‘That is why it is a key objective of this government to reframe the justice system from a punitive to a rehabilitation focus and reduce the number of Ma¯ ori and Pasifika youth in the system.’’

The report showed there had also been a significant reduction in the number of young people (aged

14-16 years) whose offending was serious enough to lead to a Family Group Conference, or court action. The number committing this level of offence fell from 4860 to 2026 (58 per cent).

There was a substantial fall in the number of young people in the Youth Court between 2011 and

2017; however, the number remanded in custody changed little since 2011, meaning the custodial remand rate has increased.

National Party justice spokesman Mark Mitchell said the reduction showed the former government was ‘‘on the right track’’, and the coalition Government’s ‘‘softer policies will risk undoing the good work’’.