This document discusses perceptions of youth violence in New Zealand. It finds that media portrayals of youth crime exaggerate the level of violence by focusing on individual cases without context. Statistics show that while youth apprehensions for violence have increased in recent decades, violence offenses make up a small portion of total youth crimes. Public surveys find many people overestimate youth offending and favor punitive responses, but provide less punitive views when given more case information. The document advocates for good assessment of individual youth to determine appropriate interventions for reducing violence.

1. Violent offending by young people in New Zealand: perception versus reality Presented by: Dr Anna Duncan, Senior Advisor, Youth Justice Team Leigh McPhail, Advisor , Youth Justice Team Zoey Caldwell, Advisor, Youth Justice Team

4. Examples of media headlines

6. Statistical overview: Police apprehensions 15% 10% Proportion of total Raw # of youth violence apprehensions ↑ 47.5% in last 10 years Youth violence apprehension rate (population adjusted) ↑ 25.3% 4,655 3,156 Violence apprehensions 30,451 31,027 Total apprehensions 2006 1997 Apprehensions of 14-16 year olds

7. Statistical overview: violence apprehension rates

8. Statistical overview: violence apprehension rates by offence type

15. For further information or discussion please feel free to contact us: Dr Anna Duncan – [email_address] (currently on parental leave) Leigh McPhail – [email_address] Zoey Caldwell – [email_address] www.justice.govt/youth-justice/