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Changes implemented during lockdown to how young people serve sentences and report in may become a permanent fixture.
Youth offenders who were allowed to mow lawns and do other household jobs to complete community service sentences during lockdown may be given the option permanently. During the level 4 and 3 lockdowns in 2020 Oranga Tamariki, which oversees youth justice, adapted community service sentences so young people could do jobs at home like mow lawns or make Covid-19 posters. They were also able to attend family group conferences or other court-related meetings remotely. The changes were so positive, it says, Oranga Tamariki is considering making them a long-term option.
Principal Youth Court Judge John Walker says the figures reflect a push for early intervention.
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A new Justice report has revealed offending rates among young people fell by 64 percent in the past decade, and for children it fell by 63 percent.
Principal Youth Court Judge John Walker said it reflected a push for early intervention, and effective work by Police Youth Aid. It also reflects what I m seeing in terms of numbers of current cases in the Youth Court, which have been steadily dropping now for sometime.
One of the real strengths of the Youth Justice System was diversion, which was the result of about 70 percent of all police apprehensions.