Youth crime rates continue steady decline

File photo / NZ Herald

Overall youth crime rates in New Zealand have continued their steady decline since 1994 but premeditated acts of violence have risen in the same period.

According to Statistics NZ data, crimes such as theft, sexual assault, abduction and drug use for 10- to 16-year-old have dropped. The numbers have reduced by 28 per cent in the last 19 years.

The data relates to resolved offences only.

Despite the decrease in total crime, violent youth offences have risen by 33 per cent since 1994. The numbers peaked in the two years to 2010 with 4016 offences. However there was a 20 per cent reduction in these figures last year, which is the lowest it has been in a decade.