Yang Jian: Reports — Inquiry into the Identification Rehabilitation and Care and Protection of Child Offenders 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Yang Jian: Reports — Inquiry into the Identification Rehabilitation and Care and Protection of Child Offenders 
[Sitting date: 29 August 2012. Volume:683;Page:4947. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Dr JIAN YANG (National) 
: 
 I would like to commend the Social Services Committee for its thought-provoking report which raises very important questions around the way we deal with child offenders. National is committed to reducing child offending and youth crime. This is reflected in the policy changes we are making to build a safer New Zealand. Over the past 12 months our youth justice reforms have halved the number of youth needing to be held in secure units but we need to continue this work. We need to ensure that today’s child offenders do not become tomorrow’s career criminals. Therefore how we rehabilitate care for and more important protect these children is of utmost importance. 
There are children in our country who through no fault of their own grow up neglected lacking opportunity and aspiration; many of whom are abused and go on to live a life of crime. It becomes a never-ending cycle one we need to do all we can to break. 
According to the Ministry of Social Development although child offender apprehensions have dropped in the past 15 years there has been an increase in the number of children apprehended for violent offending. In 2010-11 there were 7896 apprehensions of children aged 10 to 13 and 37 percent of them were for theft and related offences. 
The issue of child offending is not new. A study in 1996 found that most child offenders had the marks of inadequate care and/or abuse. In short the consequences that might be expected from ill-treatment were that they were difficult to manage both at home and at school they failed to learn they ran away and they experimented with alcohol and other substances. At least a third came from families with a history of alcohol or substance abuse and/or criminal involvement. 
We know that many young offenders lack self-esteem have uncertainty in their lives and have no sense of purpose or direction. They need help. As lawmakers we believe we can do better. We know that some child offenders continue offending after they are caught. However often this offending is not addressed because we lack effective tools to deal with it. This interim offending needs addressing. 
Child offending is considered to be a protection matter and such offending is currently dealt with by the Youth Court and the Family Court. However the Family Court has limited powers to change the personal situations of these young people in a way that would prevent further youth offending. Currently more than 90 percent of children who offend are dealt with by the police through an alternative action—for example writing an apology letter or paying for damage. Many of them do not enter the justice system. We acknowledge that there is a challenge before us to ensure that the systems we have in place are effectively addressing the issue of child offending so that today’s child offenders do not become tomorrow’s career criminals. 
The focus of this National-led Government is on building a safer New Zealand and we have embarked on a comprehensive programme of reform to protect communities prevent crime and put victims first. We are staying tough on criminals keeping record numbers of police on the beat and ensuring that the justice system focuses on the rights of victims. We are firmly committed to reducing child offending and youth crime. We know that the investments we are making will pay off many times over in reduced costs in both the justice and social sectors as well as in the incalculable gain of preventing future victims of crime. But most of all we will be giving these child offenders an opportunity to have better lives. Thank you. 
Motion agreed to.