By Belinda Nolan
MORE than a third of all crimes committed in Brimbank’s borders are carried out by youths, Victoria Police has revealed.
Figures provided to Star reveal more than 15,000 crimes were committed in Brimbank between July 2009 and June 2010, with young people accounting for more than 6600 of those crimes.
Assault, shoplifting and property damage topped the list for the most common offences.
More than 1000 youths under 25 years of age were charged with assault, followed by 898 caught shoplifting and a further 676 nabbed for property damage.
Meanwhile, 374 youths were charged with possessing or using drugs, 325 with deception, while 295 were caught with weapons or explosives.
Alarmingly, more than 100 were arrested for rape and other sex offences, while 28 were charged with abduction or kidnapping.
Another 265 were charged over robberies, 223 for burglary, and 219 over behaviour in public.
Acting Brimbank Police Inspector Chris Gilbert told Star police were aware that young people were over-represented in the city’s crime statistics but said police were doing all they could to drive the figures down.
“The rate of offending clearly diminishes as people get older,” Acting Insp Gilbert said.
“A lot of it may be based around energy and activity as young offenders and victims tend to get out and about more.”
Sunshine Visy Cares Hub General Manager Karen Hart said higher levels of social disadvantage within Brimbank could be a contributing factor in youth crime.
Poverty, substance abuse, family problems, racism and violence were common causes of crime reported by young people, Ms Hart said.
“Some of these kids have led exceptionally hard lives and sometimes this can set them on a path of destruction leading to criminal activity,” Ms Hart said.
“Many criminal behaviours are learned.
“They’re victims of violence themselves and then they go and take what they’ve learned onto the streets.”
Ms Hart said many youths were frustrated by negative public perceptions.
“It’s very easy to demonise and stigmatise young people who are trying to find their way in life,” Ms Hart said.
“But really there are very few of the youth population that could be labelled as a bad young person.”
