Ballarat has been selected for a pilot program to fight repeat youth offending as new data revealed the number of alleged first-time child criminals rose slightly last year.
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But Crime Statistics Agency numbers released on Thursday showed there were far less new young offenders in the city than in previous years.
Up to 99 children aged 10 to 17 were charged with an offence for the first time in 2016, up from 84 teenagers in 2015.
Back in 2012 there were nearly double this amount of new teenage offenders, where 183 youths were charged for the first time.
It comes after the Victorian government announced it would pour millions in funding into community-led programs to address the underlying causes of youth crime.
Law and order is shaping up to become a pivotal issue in next year’s state election as the Coalition turns the blowtorch on Labor and residents voice their concerns over break-ins and car fires.
In response, the state government named Ballarat as a priority area for the program, with high proportions of repeat young offenders.
Its strategy will focus on intervening early and steering those aged 10 to 24 away from crime.
Veteran councillor Des Hudson, who is a Leading Senior Constable with Ballarat police, welcomed the extra money.
“We are one of a number of identified areas to target youth offending,” he said.
“Most young people in Ballarat are doing really well, but there’s a small cohort of vulnerable people.”
Cr Hudson said the root causes of youth offending, such as a lack of access to education, required all of Ballarat’s residents to respond.
“Many of these offenders don’t have the same opportunities as other young people may have, but we can provide the strength that supports these young people and help turn their lives around,” he said.
Labor’s Parliamentary Secretary for Justice, Ben Carroll, echoed this sentiment when announcing the Victorian government’s package on Thursday.
“We can’t prevent youth offending by policing alone, we have to also address the root causes of crime,” he said.
“Getting young people involved in their community, making them feel supported and helping them find education or employment is an important part of tackling youth crime.”’
The program will include coaching and mentoring, employment and education opportunities for young people, and will be run in partnership with Ballarat City Council, service providers, not-for-profit groups and police.
Youth crime has been increasingly under the microscope this year following a spate of brazen vehicle thefts across Ballarat.
A torched black hatchback was found in a pine plantation off White Swan Road east of Invermay just last week.
But as the Crime Statistics Agency numbers show, progress has been made.
Ballarat-based Liberal MP Joshua Morris said: “As the government acknowledges, Ballarat has higher rates of crime and youth crime than other parts of Victoria, and the community rightly expects that the government will address these concerning crime rates. Our community want to feel safe, and that is why Daniel Andrews should be listening.”