Govt on Track to Beat Crime Targets as Youth Offending, Victimisation Decline

New Zealand’s Government has recorded a sharp decline in both serious youth offending and violent crime, with Ministers reporting that the country is ahead of schedule on two key law and order targets. Minister for Children Karen Chhour and Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith announced new quarterly figures that highlight early signs of success from a series of policy shifts focused on prevention, accountability, and support.

“We’re determined to protect communities, reduce victimisation, and encourage young people not to continue down the path of serious crime and incarceration,” said Minister Chhour.

The Government had originally set a goal of reducing the number of children and young people exhibiting serious and persistent offending behaviours by 15% by 2029. However, the latest quarterly results indicate a 13% reduction in such offending has already been achieved — a substantial step toward meeting the long-term objective.

Targeted Youth Interventions Begin to Pay Off

Chhour attributed the progress to “bold new responses” and enhanced inter-agency cooperation, describing it as a “team effort.” Innovations trialed over the past year include:

• Data-driven regional interventions, enabling real-time response to youth crime patterns.

• Closer collaboration between child welfare, justice, and education agencies, which has improved wraparound support for at-risk youth.

• Budget 2025 investments, which include funding for expanded military-style academies and the introduction of the Youth Serious Offender declaration, aimed at identifying and intervening early in cases of repeat youth offending.

“We continue to want better for, and from, these young people,” said Chhour. “This is a strong start, but we’re committed to sustained and meaningful success for our communities.”

Violent Crime Rates Drop Across the Country

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith confirmed that progress is not limited to youth offending. The Government is also exceeding its violent crime reduction target, supported by the latest New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey.

Key findings from the survey include:

• 157,000 victims of violent crime in the year ending February 2025 — a drop of 28,000 compared to the baseline set in October 2023.

• Auckland accounted for 12,000 fewer victims, while Canterbury recorded 5,000 fewer.

“This is a good early sign we are heading in the right direction,” said Goldsmith. “Our Government has wasted no time overhauling a culture of excuses left behind by the last administration. Victims are our priority, and we’ve returned them to the heart of the justice system.”

Tougher Laws and Policing Tools Drive Impact

The Government’s approach includes a raft of legal and enforcement reforms that aim to deter crime and strengthen consequences for offenders. These include:

• Reinstating a revised Three Strikes sentencing regime, aimed at repeat violent offenders.

• Providing police and courts with more tools to target gang activity.

• Limiting sentence discounts, restoring more consistent sentencing outcomes.

• Eliminating Section 27 cultural background reports, which had been criticized for leniency in sentencing.

“These changes have sent a strong signal — crime has consequences,” Goldsmith added. “We do, however, expect the data to remain volatile, and there’s still more work to do to continue driving these numbers down.”

Cautious Optimism, with More Work Ahead

While the results are being welcomed across government, both ministers acknowledge that sustainable change will require long-term commitment, particularly in supporting young offenders to break the cycle of crime.

The Government is expected to continue investing in proactive prevention strategies, community-based support services, and ensuring that victims’ voices are prioritized in policy decisions.

“We are on the right track,” said Chhour, “but our goal is not just to reduce statistics — it’s to make our communities safer and offer young people real alternatives to a life of crime.”