Paul Goldsmith. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
The government is dropping Labour's proposed legislation aimed at reducing ram raid burglaries.
The Ram Raid Offending and Related Measures Amendment Bill allowed ram raid sentences of up to 10 years in jail, and gave police the power to prosecute children as young as 12.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Minister for Children Karen Chhour have described the bill as redundant, as the government agrees to discharge the bill in favour of what they call a more targeted response.
"Ram raids dropped 60 percent last year and we're confident we'll continue to see this decrease over time," Goldsmith said.
He said the government was more focused on creating faster, stronger and more targeted responses to repeat young offenders committing the most serious offences.
"The creation of a Young Serious Offender declaration will make available for these young people tools to address issues and help them, along with unlocking stronger powers for both the Youth Court and New Zealand Police," Karen Chhour said.
Karen Chhour. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Despite this, the government has said it would progress the elements of the Ram Raid Bill they think would make a meaningful difference.
It referenced the Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill, which would require the court to consider whether offending had been livestreamed or posted online in a way that glorifies the offending, as part of sentencing a young serious offender.
"Similarly, our sentencing reforms picked up the aggravating factors relating to adults encouraging or enabling young offenders to offend and the livestreaming or posting of offending online in a way which glorifies the offending," Goldsmith said.
"This is all part of our work to ensure there are 20,000 fewer victims of serious violent crime by 2029, alongside a 15 percent reduction in serious repeat youth offending."
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