Youth crime in Victoria has reached record levels, with the government acknowledging that overall crime rates are at an “unacceptable” status. Recent data from the Crime Statistics Agency indicates a 17% annual increase in crime across the state, with property crimes—such as general theft, car theft, retail theft, and theft from cars—being the most prevalent.
Police Minister Anthony Carbines labelled the quarterly statistics as “unacceptable,” emphasising that the uptick in crime is largely attributed to repeat offenders rather than a rise in the number of individuals committing crimes. He stated that youth crime plays a significant role in this surge, with an alarming statistic revealing that a child aged between 10 and 17 commits an offence every 20 minutes. Recently, youth crime has spiked by approximately 18%, marking the highest levels recorded since 1993.
Youths account for roughly 13% of all offences and are increasingly involved in serious crimes like robberies and home invasions. Over the past year, Victoria Police have made around 3,300 arrests related to youth offenders, specifically targeting home burglaries, car thefts, and youth gangs. Despite efforts such as the launch of Operation Trinity in March 2023, motor vehicle theft remains a pressing issue, showing a 47.1% increase compared to the previous year. Many stolen vehicles are taken without keys, often using electronic devices that can bypass security systems.
In addition, family violence incidents have surged by 10.7%, resulting in record high numbers of domestic violence cases. Victoria Police are now responding to a domestic violence incident every five minutes, with breaches of family violence orders also on the rise.
Opposition Leader Brad Battin voiced concerns about the crime statistics, branding them as alarming and pointing out an enormous spike in aggravated burglaries, which have risen by 30% year-on-year. In response to these escalating issues, the government is planning to introduce additional bail reforms which would make it significantly harder for offenders, especially concerning high-harm crimes, to obtain bail. These reforms have been designed to address aggravated burglaries, carjackings, and other serious offences.
As the state faces these emerging challenges, the focus remains on curbing repeat offenders, strengthening bail laws, and implementing preventative measures for crime and violence to restore safety across Victoria.