How often young Victorian offenders are landing back in detention
Victoria’s shadow minister for youth justice says the system is broken as figures reveal the alarming rate at which youths are returning to detention less than a year after being released.
Police & Courts
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Reoffending rates of Victorian teen criminals have soared to almost the highest in the country.
New data shows 70.5 per cent of youths aged 10 to 16 are now returning to detention or supervision within 12 months of being released.
The figure, contained in the latest Productivity Commission annual report on Government Services, has soared from 56.3 per cent in and is now the second highest in the country, after the Northern Territory at 79.7 per cent.
At the same time, taxpayers are being slugged more than $300m a year on youth justice spending, including $233m on youth detention.
It means it now costs $5900 a day to keep youths locked up — more than double that of NSW.
While the number of children in youth detention constantly changes, the average number across Victoria last year was 108, less than both NSW and Queensland.
A government spokesperson said community safety was paramount.
“We have the lowest rate of young people in custody in the nation – that means we are dealing with a smaller but more complex cohort of young people reoffending.
“Our approach to raising the age is a careful and considered first step towards making sure fewer children are entering the criminal justice system and ensuring the safety of all Victorians.”
Shadow Minister for Youth Justice Brad Battin said Victoria’s youth justice system was broken.
“Under Labor, vital crime prevention and justice programs to get young Victorians on the right path are being slashed and the vast majority of young offenders who leave the youth justice system end up reoffending and are back there within 12 months,” he said.
“With youth crime at a 10-year high, now is not the time to weaken youth bail laws and raise the age of criminal responsibility.
“Jacinta Allan and her government need to take a leadership position to address youth crime and to ensure we protect community safety.”
Amid a spate of high-profile youth crime cases in recent months, the Premier has insisted an overhaul of the youth justice system will go ahead.
Plans include easing bail laws for youths and raising the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12 by the end of the year, and to 14 by 2027.
The Productivity Commission data shows Victoria has the lowest rate per capita of 10 to 13 year olds held in detention.
Victoria’s Indigenous youth crime rate is also the second lowest in the country