Youth crime in NSW: An environmental scan

P Johnstone[1]

[12-7000] Abstract

Last reviewed: May 2023

This paper provides an overview of the criminal jurisdiction of the Children’s Court. It discusses some of the key trends in youth crime including Indigenous over-representation and the crossover between care and crime. It also considers the major drivers likely to shape youth crime in New South Wales over the next five years and beyond including current initiatives such as the review of the Young Offenders Act, the recommendations of the Ice Inquiry, the expansion of the YKC, and the Short Term remand Project.

P Johnstone, “Youth Crime in NSW: An Environmental Scan”, 2020.



[1] Judge Peter Johnstone, President of the Children’s Court of NSW, Local Court of NSW Southern Regional Conference 4–6 March 2020.