Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Say 'NO' to raising the age of the youth justice system

SAY 'NO' TO RAISING AGE OF YOUTH JUSTICE - PETITION LAUNCHED
28th October 2016

Sensible Sentencing Trust have started a petition calling for parliament to say 'NO' to raising the age of the youth justice system
The petition has come about after a youth advocacy organization called for the age of youth justice to be raised to 21.
Youth advocate for Sensible Sentencing trust Jess McVicar says it's a terrifying thought for victims and the wider public if the current age is increased.
"The current youth justice system was introduced in 1989 and since then there has been a huge increase in crime".

" Does this not cry out that something is not right with the system of youth justice at present? That the family conferences and various other alternatives in the youth justice system are not effective?"
"If the age is increased to 21 it means that offenders under that age will not have a criminal record, their names and crimes committed will not be known to public - putting our communities at risk and the offenders will be able to roam and offend with complete anonymity."

Lobby group Just Speak had originally called for the youth justice age to be increased to 18 but have changed their minds and now want it to be 21.

Jess says “I actually meet with Just Speak to get their thoughts on the change and to understand where they were coming from; they have said they will eventually call for the age to be 25!

"I walked away from the meeting thinking they are not considering the victim at all, they are using some academic research to promote an ideology all about protecting the offender"

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

Just Speak have justified their stance by saying it will keep youth out of prison but Jess says that prison is presently reserved for recidivist offenders.

" Just because someone goes through the adult system does not mean they will go to prison, in fact very few do, the typical inmate has somewhere between 7-15 prior offenses, so raising the age of the youth justice system is not going to change the numbers in our prisons. It's is only going to extend the number of offenders with no record or punishment."

Jess says the Police do not have the resources or numbers to deal with the current level of youth crime.

"A recent study by the Police Association showed 73% of police were against the proposal to raise the age with some suggesting the idea was driven by pressure to keep crime statistics down with others saying things could go very badly for Police and other youth agencies."

"At present it seems the proposal to increase the age of youth justice is being driven by an ideology with out any consultation with those who are responsible for dealing with the offenders and protecting the public from them."

“Rather than simply shifting the goal posts let's introduce a fully transparent youth justice system that holds young offenders and their parents/caregivers fully accountable for their actions instead of letting them think they can get away with it until they are 21!” ENDS

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.