Calls to be harsher on youth crime

  • 10/02/2016
Greg Newbold (Paul Henry)
Greg Newbold (Paul Henry)

The number of 0-9-year-olds committing burglaries have nearly doubled in the last year.

As well as that the number of 0-9-year-olds committing serious assaults is also on the rise.

Police say serious offenders are getting younger and younger and their offences are becoming far more serious.

While general trends shows youth crime is overall down, Greg Newbold says the figures only represent a fraction of what’s happening out on the streets.

Mr Newbold says the biggest rise in recent years is the number of young girls committing crimes.

He claims one of the reasons for this is that because girls have been told they can do anything they want to, they have become encouraged to commit crimes.

Mr Newbold also says the Government needs to look at the age children can be charged with crimes.  

Watch the video to see the full interview.