Budget fact sheets 2007 - programmes for youth offenders - Reducing Youth Offending Programme
The Government is investing $1.4 million over the next year in intensive intervention programmes for New Zealand’s serious and persistent youth offenders.
Research studies show that around a quarter to a third of young people who have contact with the youth justice system will go on to exhibit further persistent and serious offending. Investing earlier in programmes to address the causes of the criminal behaviour has obvious positive flow on effects for the young person, their families and the community as a whole.
A key tool of the government’s Reducing Youth Offending Programme, is Multi-Systemic Therapy Intervention (MST). This involves intensive therapeutic intervention working with young people, their caregivers and other significant influencers in their lives to address the range of factors behind their offending.
Primarily in America, but more latterly in Norway and Australia, MST has reduced offending in the serious and chronic youth offender population by between 20-40 percent.
Following a three year pilot evaluated last year, the programme was modified and implemented in Auckland from 1 July 2006. Results to date from the programme’s implementation are already significantly improved.
For most young people and their families involved in the programme there have been considerable decreases in the severity and frequency of offending and improved family relationships. The funding will allow this successful programme to continue and provide an effective response to youth offending.
