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Youth justice : criminal trajectories

Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 265

Mark Lynch, Julianne Buckman and Leigh Krenske
ISBN 0 642 53817 4 ISSN 0817-8542
Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, September 2003

Abstract

This paper presents the key findings of the 'Youth Justice: Criminal Trajectories Research Project', which focused on recidivism among young offenders in Queensland. The project tracked 1,503 young offenders who received supervised juvenile justice orders in 1994-95 from their court appearances through to adult custodial and non custodial orders served up to September 2002. The paper analyses this cohort in terms of socioeconomic status, gender, Indigenous status, peak offending age, and the presence of care and protection orders. The data show that the vast majority of young offenders on supervised orders progress to the adult correction systems with half of them having served at least one term of imprisonment. Among male Indigenous juveniles, 89% of those on supervised orders in 1994-95 had progressed to the adult corrections system by September 2002, with 71% having served at least one prison term. Analysis of risk factors also finds that 91% of those who had been subject to a care and protection order progressed to the adult system. The results of the project confirm that multiple factors amplify the risk of recidivism and highlight the importance of coordinated whole-of-government responses to youth offending. The paper also summarises recent multi agency initiatives to reduce juvenile crime in Queensland.

This paper is taken from the report of research undertaken with the assistance of a grant from the Criminology Research Council.