Generation Y's crime of their lives

Matthew Moore
September 11, 2006
SMH

ONE IN seven men born in NSW in 1984 had a criminal record by the time they turned 21, the first study of the proportion of generation Y members charged with a crime has found.

The study of all 81,784 people born in the state that year shows that 9.9 per cent of them were brought before a court before they turned 21, and virtually all of that 9.9 per cent were convicted of at least one offence.

About a third of these convictions were for drink-driving and other motor vehicle offences, 13 per cent were for theft and 10 per cent were for "acts intended to cause injury".

The study by NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics reveals that one in 200 people born in 1984 was sentenced to jail before their 21st birthday.

The director of the bureau, Don Weatherburn, said he was surprised such a big proportion of people had criminal records.

"It gives the lie to the proposition that criminals represent some tiny fraction of the community," he said.

As this study was the first of its type, Dr Weatherburn said he could not say whether the proportion of people with criminal records was likely to be different for people born in other years.

One brush with the law was enough for most, as 61 per cent of those who had records had only one appearance before the courts.

Seventy-two per cent of people who appeared before the courts did so after they turned 18.

A small number of people were responsible for a large number of court appearances: 9 per cent of the 9.9 per cent brought before a court appeared in court five times or more before they turned 21 and 2.3 per cent appeared in court 10 times or more.

As most people only offended once, Dr Weatherburn said, it was pointless "coming down hard" on them. He said resources should be allocated to the small group who committed most of the offences, because there were "enormous potential savings".