Darroch Ball MP

Spokesperson for Youth Affairs
8 DECEMBER 2016

National in La-La Land Increasing Youth Court Age

National is in la-la land with its decision to increase the age of the Youth Court’s jurisdiction to include 17 year olds, says New Zealand First.

“This government is either blissfully ignorant or intentionally misleading the public over the failure of the youth justice system, says New Zealand First Youth Affairs Spokesperson Darroch Ball.

“They expect a failing system to deal with more offenders - it is an exercise in futility.

“A bunch of weak-kneed, liberal do-gooders living in leafy suburbs think the best thing for youth offenders is a cup of milo and pat on the back.

“In the past 10 months there have been 25% more robberies and even more burglaries committed by youth than in the whole of last year.

“Almost half of those in the youth justice system have offended three or more times.

“Frontline police have to deal with the same young offenders recycling through the system and cannot apply any stronger justice. Many offenders stop offending at 17 because that’s when the accountability starts in District Court - that’s why 75% of police do not want the age raised.

“Many youth are responsible for serious assaults, armed robberies, burglaries and theft. There are thousands of proceedings every year with no real consequences.

“Of the over 3,000 serious offences committed by youth in 2015 just 26 cases were transferred to District Court. More than a third of those were simply discharged without conviction,” says Mr Ball.

“If the government looked at the reoffending rates and the failing system they are in they would know that extending it to include 17 year olds would end up failing them too.”

ENDS

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