Juvenile offending What are the facts? (according to NSW Police and NSW Criminal Court data) Sydney Institute of Criminology

A Word of Warning All crime Reported crime Recorded crime Recorded offenders

What the media reports….. Young, female and leading a crime wave Daily Telegraph, 21 June 2008 Kid crime rampage Daily Telegraph, 30 June 2008 Police arrest 31 in teen gang crackdown SMH, 24 May 2009 Juvenile bail breaches rise SMH, 1 July 2009 Child criminals out of control Herald Sun, 9 May 2010 Juvenile crime wave Herald Sun, 10 May 2010

The Plan… 1. Long-term and more recent trends in juvenile offending 2. Which offences are most commonly committed by juveniles? 3. Characteristics of juvenile offenders 4. Where are juveniles committing crime? 5. How do the police proceed against juvenile offenders? 6. How many juveniles go to criminal courts and for what types of offences? 7. What penalties do the courts impose on juveniles? 8. Juvenile reoffending rates

Long-term and short-term trends in juvenile offending in NSW

Trends for juvenile offenders by major offences, July 00 to June 10

Trends for juvenile offenders for other offences, July 00 to June 10

Which offences do juveniles mostly commit?

Percentage of juvenile offenders by offence, July 09 to June 10

Juvenile offender characteristics

Percentage of juvenile offenders by gender, July 00 to June 10

Number and percentage of Indigenous and non-Indigenous juvenile offenders, July 00 to June 10 Number of juvenile offenders Percentage of juvenile offenders

Rate per 100,000 population for Indigenous and non-Indigenous juvenile offenders, July 00 to June 10

Percentage of juvenile offenders by age, July 00 to June 10

Where are juveniles offending?

Percentage of criminal incidents involving juveniles by premises types, July 09 to June 10

Malicious Damage to Property

Shop lifting

Non domestic violence assault

Break and enter

How do police proceed against juvenile offenders?

Percentage of juveniles proceeded to court versus away from court, July 05 to June 10

Percentage of juveniles diverted away from the courts, July 05 to June 10

Juveniles in court

Juveniles appearing in court by offence, 2009

Penalties for juveniles, 2009

Juvenile reoffending in NSW

Cumulative percentage of adults and juveniles reconvicted each year to 2009

Percentage of adults and juveniles reconvicted of ANY offence within 15 years by offence

Percentage of adults and juveniles reconvicted of the SAME offence within 15 years by offence

What the media reports….. Young, female and leading a crime wave Daily Telegraph, 21 June 2008 Kid crime rampage Daily Telegraph, 30 June 2008 Police arrest 31 in teen gang crackdown SMH, 24 May 2009 Juvenile bail breaches rise SMH, 1 July 2009 Child criminals out of control Herald Sun, 9 May 2010 Juvenile crime wave Herald Sun, 10 May 2010

Summary Over the longer term, police data indicates more juveniles are being proceeded against by police. BUT over the shorter term, the number of juveniles being proceeded against by police is relatively stable. The most common offences juveniles commit are transport offences, property damage, shoplifting, assault, breach bail and break and enter. Juvenile offenders are mostly male, aged 15 – 17 years, and are non-Indigenous. BUT the RATE of Indigenous juvenile offending is much higher than the non-Indigenous rate.

Summary Highest rates of juvenile offending – - Property damage: Far West, North Western region, Camden, …Sydney, Leichhardt - Shoplifting: Richmond Tweed, Parramatta, Sydney, Botany Bay, … … v …Burwood, Hurstville - Non dv assault: Campbelltown, Sydney, North Western region - Break and enter: North and North Western regions In NSW courts in 2009, 9,374 juveniles appeared (for 21,952 charges) and over 80% were convicted. Courts mostly impose fines, probation orders, bonds and cautions. The proportion of offenders who reoffend is quite high, and this is especially so for juveniles.

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