Submission to the NSW Inquiry into Youth Justice

NCOSS welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission to the Select Committee on Youth Justice. This Inquiry gives us a vital platform to draw attention to the interconnected drivers of youth crime — poverty, housing insecurity, homelessness, domestic and family violence, and mental health — and make the case for a comprehensive response.

The reality is stark:

• Kids from disadvantaged areas are 6x more likely to be caught up in the youth justice system.
• Regional youth poverty rates are 25% higher than in Sydney.
• Child poverty is the primary cause of nearly 20% of reported criminal offences committed by children in Australia.

We are calling for urgent reform, including raising the age of criminal responsibility to 14 and doubling investment in early intervention.