Isolation from school leads to 20pc increase in youth court proceedings - Justice Ministry

Ministry of Justice officials believe young people becoming disconnected from school is chiefly responsible for a 20 per cent increase in the number of youth court proceedings in the last year.

The jump is linked to what Justice Ministry chief executive Andrew Kibblewhite describes as a “kick-up” in youth crime in the past 12 months that followed roughly a decade of youth crime trending down.

It comes as Kibblewhite predicts the ministry’s spending on consultants may increase, despite statements from Prime Minister Chris Hipkins that he wants to see the Government’s reliance on external consultant firms diminish.

Kibblewhite and a throng of Ministry of Justice officials appeared before the Justice Select Committee yesterday for the ministry’s annual review for the 2021/22 financial year.

National justice spokesman Paul Goldsmith questioned the extent to which recidivist young offenders faced consequences in the justice system, citing the 500 per cent increase in ram raids that was observed last year.

Kibblewhite began by saying that youth offending had reduced by 60 per cent in the last 10 years, but acknowledged there had been a 20 per cent increase in the number of proceedings being brought against young people in the last year.

However, he didn’t believe that pointed to failures in the justice system’s recent approach to youth offenders.

“Exactly what’s causing that is quite a rich and complex debate,” Kibblewhite said.

“I haven’t seen any evidence that would suggest it’s a failure of the approach of the last nine years, I think it’s much more likely a consequence of people becoming isolated from school.”

Ministry of Justice chief executive Andrew Kibblewhite. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Kibblewhite believed about one per cent of youth offenders were “causing a lot of grief” in that they would re-offend.

“We know who they are, it’s about finding out what to do about them and then ensuring that there is prolonged wrap-around support around them and their families in order to help move them to a better place.”

Last year, the Government announced several funding boosts for programmes that aimed to intervene early when young people offended and provide necessary resources to ensure continuous support and oversight for the relevant family.

Also discussed in the select committee was the Ministry of Justice’s expenditure and specifically how much had been paid for work done by consultants.

The topic had dominated recent political discourse after National said it would pay for its $249 million early childcare education policy through the money the Government currently spent on consultants and contractors - $1.7 billion a year.

Hipkins has since pushed back on the Opposition’s plan, saying much of this money has already been spent.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins wants to see the Government less reliant on consultants and contractors. Photo / Mark Mitchell

In 2021/22, the Ministry of Justice and Te Arawhiti (the Office of Māori Crown Relations) spent $33.6m on consultants and contractors, which was actually $3m less than what was spent in 2017/18.

However, Goldsmith questioned why the expense was necessary given the expenditure for both entities increased by more than $200m over the same period from $608m to $825m.

Kibblewhite acknowledged consultants were necessary when specialist skills like building were required, but he accepted the money spent should reduce.

“I would completely agree and it’s a clear expectation I have on my staff that we will minimise - that doesn’t mean we will eliminate it.”

But he wouldn’t confirm whether a reduction could be achievable, saying the opposite could occur.

“It may well be that some of that consultancy spending will actually increase, even in light of the political commentary because some of that kind of expenditure is important for us to be getting the right people so we can do the work right.”