Will the government's youth crime crackdown work? Youth crime expert calls for a prevention focus
A youth crime expert is ruing the loss of prevention work, and moves to a more punitive policies.
It comes as official advice from police warns the government a significant boost is needed to youth crime prevention work, if it is to meet crime reduction targets.
The government has a goal to reduce youth crime by 15 percent in 2030, a target labelled as "ambitious" by officials.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Justice crime indicators show a 26 percent rise in the number of repeat youth offenders in the last year, with 877 people in this category.
Kathryn hears from Police Association president Chris Cahill, Massey University psychology professor Julia Ioane, and David Graham of the Billy Graham Youth Foundation.
Teens use an angle grinder to break into a cigarette cabinet during the burglary of a Waikato bottle store in July. Photo: Supplied / Ash Parmar, via NZME
