Youth Court Offending Rates

Abstract | Introduction | Method | Results | Conclusion | References | Appendix 1 Area data | Appendix 2 Raw data

In conclusion
The data reported here for the first time enable comparisons of population-adjusted rates of distinct cases and distinct offenders over time. The period described in this paper starts prior to the introduction of the Children, Young Persons and Their Families Act 1989 and continues up to 2001. The data clearly indicates that the initial impact of the Act was a massive lowering of the rate at which young people appeared in the Youth Court. Over the subsequent ten years the rates of charges, cases and offenders rose again but they have not shown increases that in any way match the decrease that followed the 1989 legislation. Other data on changes in the seriousness of youth offending (Maxwell et al 2002(a), 2002(b)) indicate that over this period there was a similar tendency for the numbers of relatively serious offences to increase, matching the trend reported for the adult population. The changes in seriousness may largely account for the increasing numbers of Youth Court appearances. Another likely factor could be changes in Police practice: data from Maxwell et al (2000a and 2000b) indicate a trend towards more use of the Youth Court by Police for offences of moderate seriousness rather than referrals to CYF for a family group conference.

These data also show differences depending on the sex and the ethnicity of the young offenders. Boys are referred in larger numbers and are more likely to reappear in the same court in the same year than girls.

Data on the rates of cases for European, Maori and those of Pacific Island ethnicities show similar patterns over time but large differences in the rates. The Maori rate is about four times the European rate in 2001. The rate for Pacific Island young people lies almost exactly between that of the other two groups. It is about twice the rate of European and almost half the rate of Maori.

When areas are compared there are many differences. Some courts show increasing rates of appearances, others declining rates, and others fluctuate or are stable. It is likely that many of these changes reflect changes in local practice in handling cases. Statistical data alone cannot provide insights into the reasons for these changes. However, local Youth Courts may be able to provide the information to evaluate the effectiveness of their practice both with respect to referrals to the courts and in responses to offending.

Finally, it is important to note that these data support the conclusion that the present youth justice system continues to be more effective than methods of the past in diverting young people from criminal proceedings. However, the amount of diversion from the Youth Court by the use of other strategies, such as direct referrals for a family group conference, appears to have declined since 1991. The ongoing provision of information like this may enable Youth Courts to monitor their own performance and make changes to practice that will increase their effectiveness in responding to youth offending.