Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has announced the first part of a significant "crackdown" on youth crime with three changes that impose "accountability and consequences".
In announcing the changes, the prime minister admitted "the system needs a shake-up" and that "Kiwis have had a guts-full of people acting as if the rules don't apply to them.
"I have had a guts-full of that as well," he told a media conference.
It comes after opposition attacks that have accused the Government of being soft on crime, with National and ACT beating the law and order drum ahead of the election.
Hipkins said Monday's announcement was about "prevention, protection and accountability" whilst signalling it was only the "first tranche of changes" with more action come.
"There will be a sharper focus on consequences and greater accountability for offenders by tightening up gaps in the current law and we will also be reforming parts of the system as well," he said.
National's leader says its policy is about getting justice for victims and penalties which fit the crime. (Source: 1News)
Posting criminal activity online will become an aggravating factor in sentences, Hipkins said, as it's becoming "increasingly common for offenders to video their criminal behaviour and post or live stream it to show off to their friends and followers.
"This ‘social media amendment’ we’re introducing will apply to adults and young people and provide the courts with an additional consideration when sentencing, and it sends a strong signal that this behaviour is unacceptable," the PM said in a media release.
The proposed change closely resembles a policy announced by Christopher Luxon two weeks ago. Speaking on Monday, Hipkins said "we've been working on many of these proposals for some time."
The PM told media the Government would also create a new offence for people who "commission or reward" kids to commit crimes — with a 10-year maximum prison term.
However, Hipkins was corrected by his office two hours later, which said the actual policy would instead only make the conditions an aggravating factor in sentencing.
“Using a child to commit a crime is cowardly, exploitative and destroys lives, so the consequences must be serious," he said.
"We’re told many ram-raids are done for notoriety on social media and the news or petty theft, but we know there’s also an organised crime element to some of them.
“Therefore, the Government is creating a new aggravating factor that would apply when an adult, whether or not connected to an organised crime group, aids, encourages or incites a person under 18 to carry out an offence."
Speaking to RNZ on Tuesday, the prime minister said an error was made in preparing his speaking notes and media release on the policy.
Ginny Andersen told Q+A that initiatives like more police officers and other prevention measures were helping tackle crime. (Source: 1News)
Meanwhile, from the age of 10, the Family Court will now be given the ability to require children and young people to undertake community activities — such as cleaning graffiti and picking up rubbish. Currently, the court can only request such action.
Hipkins said the change would be about "accountability and consequences".
"The Family Court will also be able to require that an offender attend an educational, recreational or activity programme. That’s really important to get them engaged again and back on track and builds on the work we’re doing to improve school attendance.
"There will also be accountability for victims, with victims entitled to attend Care and Protection Family Group Conferences for the first time in relation to children over 10.
"It will force the offender to confront the victims whose lives they are harming.
“None of this is about locking up children and perpetuating the cycle of crime. It’s about accountability and consequences to help break the cycle of offending."
Police Minister Ginny Andersen also announced Monday a $25 million boost for the prosecution service to help clear the case backlog in district courts.
“This funding will allow Police to add up to 78 full time equivalent staff to prepare their in-court work against those who’ve committed serious crimes,” she said.
Reacting to Hipkins' announcement, ACT leader David Seymour said the Labour Government had lost credibility on tackling crime.
"No one’s buying Chris Hipkins as tough on crime," he said.
"He was Police Minister when ram raids became a daily occurrence, and his only answer then was the band-aid of spending $11 million on fog cannons, a great policy for fog cannon makers, but it did nothing to stop crime happening.
"He did everything but make it easier to lock up criminals."
Youth crime in the political spotlight
Crimes committed by children are in the spotlight as law and order is set to dominate the election debate as parties soon hit the campaign trail.
The probability a serious youth offender has offended before is frighteningly high, and they're statistically likely to offend again. (Source: 1News)
Over the past six months, opposition parties have unleashed a range of policies aimed at targeting youth crime — which they have pushed as being out of control.
Making its policy announcement, the Government said its new measures were to target "an increase in brazen criminal offending" and a rise in youth crime.
If elected, National has promised to create a new young serious offender category for the ringleaders of serious crimes — applying to kids and teens between 10 and 17.
Additionally military boot camps would be used for people in the category.
The policy has sparked criticism from some researchers and academics, who have said resurrecting the camps would be ineffective.
Meanwhile, ACT has gone further and promising to introduce ankle bracelets for some youth offenders while also bringing 17-year-olds back into the adult justice system.
New Principal Youth Court Judge Ida Malosi says the focus should be on being tough for young offenders, not to them. (Source: 1News)
Last week, National leader Christopher Luxon said the approach to crime needs "not just carrots" but also "sticks".
"The message from this soft-on-crime Government has been this is permissible activity.
National has also promised to thrash gang activity, including banning patches in public places, giving police special powers to break up gangs in public places, and membership an aggravating factor in sentencing.
Earlier, ACT justice spokeswoman Nicole McKee said massive changes in education, welfare, and the economy are required.
"The education system doesn't educate people, the welfare system rewards idleness, the economy isn't producing enough jobs or high enough wages, and the justice system isn't arresting enough gang members. It's no wonder people are attracted to gangs under those conditions."
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