4519.0 - Recorded Crime - Offenders, Selected states and territories, 2007-08

Quality Declaration

ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 27/08/2009 First Issue

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Contents >> Victoria >> YOUTH OFFENDERS

YOUTH OFFENDERS

Of the young offenders aged 10 to 19 years, the highest offender rate for males occurred at age 17 years, while for females it was at age 15 years. Males aged 17 years offended at a rate three times higher than the rate of all male offenders (5,333 male offenders for every 100,000 males aged 17 years compared to 1,639 male offenders for every 100,000 males aged 10 years and over). Females aged 15 years had an offender rate of 2,325 for every 100,000 females aged 15 years, which was almost five times the rate for all female offenders (474 female offenders per 100,000 females aged 10 years and over).

Youth Offender Rate (a)(b), Age by sex, Victoria
Graph: Youth Offender Rate (a)(b), Age by sex, Victoria

The predominant principal offences for youth offenders were theft (35%) and acts intended to cause injury (15%). The impact of age on offending patterns is further illustrated in the graph below. After the age of 11 years, there was a noticeable increase in the rate at which theft was the principal offence, peaking at the age of 15 years. Despite the decrease in rates associated with theft after the age of 15 years, and the general increase in acts intended to cause injury, theft remained the most prevalent principal offence for youth offenders.

Youth Offender rate (a)(b), Selected principal offence by age, Victoria
Graph: Youth Offender rate (a)(b), Selected principal offence by age, Victoria