The solution to stop young people creating headlines with so-called ram raids is not tougher punishment, according to the office of the children's commissioner.
It says that risks perpetuating the status quo, which puts rangatahi into the criminal justice system often trapping them there for the long term.
Youth justice statistics show crime rates have been steadily falling, except for a recent increase in ram raids.
The Assistant Maori Children's Commissioner Glenis Philip-Barbara spoke to Māni Dunlop about what influenced young people to commit crimes and how to address that.
