By Matthew Sims
The latest Crime Statistics Agency figures have highlighted a 44 per cent increase in the number of youth (10-17 year old) alleged offender incidents in Casey during the April 2022 to March 2023 period compared to the previous year.
Increases included 38.8 per cent in assault, 66.1 per cent in theft and the number of robberies and breaking and entering incidents more than double last year’s figure.
The statistics showed youth were the highest rating offenders for robberies across the state.
Youths aged 15 to 17 most frequently committed robberies, followed by those aged 10-14.
Burglaries committed by youths aged 10 to 14 increased by 86.7 per cent since 2022.
This age group of 10-17 year olds were also the most frequent victims of robberies.
Youths aged 10 to 14 were responsible for 6,418 incidents In Victoria, an increase of 44.6 per cent since 2022.
Offenders aged 10-24 were responsible for 8.6 per cent more incidents in 2023 than the previous year.
The data showed there were 19,539 alleged offender incidents involving 10-17-year-olds – the highest level in 10 years, while there were 5098 residential aggravated burglaries, the highest level in 10 years and a 30 per cent increase on the preceding period.
Theft from retail stores has risen by 19.4 per cent and motor vehicle theft is up 17.9 per cent year on year.
Youth gang crime continues to be a pervasive issue across Victoria.
“Serious and violent youth crime is another ongoing focus, with Operation Alliance leading to the arrest of around 450 youth gang members a combined total of more than 1,500 times over the past year,“ said Deputy Commissioner Regional Operations Rick Nugent.
“Youth gangs remain an issue, however our intense focus on disrupting and dismantling these gangs is reaping benefits,“ he said.
“In the past few years, we have reduced the number of serious and violent youth gang members on our watchlist, with 137 less known youth gang members in Victoria than when Operation Alliance commenced in September 2020.“
Deputy Commissioner Nugent said while the morphology of the gangs has changed with the advent of social media, where youth gangs now encompass kids from a broader range of suburbs, backgrounds and ages, there was still hope.
“When you look at gang related activity for kids, for the most part they end up growing out of it, if they’re lucky,“ he said.
“There’s not too many street gangs that have people older than 19.
“So it’s really about how we can protect them through that period, divert them away and support them.“
However, Deputy Commissioner Nugent noted the numbers around youth offending have dropped year on year “over about ten years“.
“It’s almost half what it was ten years ago,“ he said.
“But what we do know is the small cohort of people that are doing this offending have escalated into serious and violent crime quite quickly at a very young age.“
Police Minister Anthony Carbines said the State Government had invested $4.5 billion into Victoria Police, including funding to recruit more than 3600 new police officers.
“We’ve also given police strong new powers to target brazen criminal activity, with new carjacking and home invasion offences including statutory minimum sentences for aggravated offences,“ he said.
“It’s important to recognise that only a small number of young people are involved in serious violent crime, and even fewer first-time offenders.
“I want to thank Victoria Police officers for their hard work and dedication in keeping the community safe.“
The State Government’s latest budget provided a further $12.4 million to support early intervention initiatives, including more than $7 million for the Embedded Youth Outreach program (EYOP), an intervention program that sees Victoria Police officers paired with trained youth workers to provide an after hours response and referral service for young people who come into contact with police.
The program was targeted at young people aged between 10 and 24 years of age and was designed to respond to the complex needs of young people who are at risk of long-term involvement with the criminal justice system.
Opposition police spokesperson and Berwick MP Brad Battin said more investment needed to be directed towards supporting young Victorians.
“Every Victorian deserves to be and feel safe in their own home,“ he said.
“To reduce youth offending and improve community safety, we need to be investing to keep young Victorians engaged with community, education and employment, as well as providing genuine second chances for those on the wrong path to turn their lives around.
“Fewer frontline police and cuts to crime prevention and rehabilitation services will only lead to more harm.“
