Victoria youth crime: Statistics raise questions about calls to deport youth offenders

Youth crime has been a hot topic in Victoria recently, with regular stories of violent carjackings, aggravated burglaries and riots in youth justice facilities.

Commentators have linked a recent spate of crimes to the so-called Apex gang, heightening anti-migration rhetoric, but police statistics show most home invasions, car thefts and aggravated robberies are committed by people born in Australia.

Data from the Victorian Crime Statistics Agency shows home invasions committed by people aged 10 to 18 have almost doubled since 2012.

There were 81 less car thefts committed by offenders in the same age group in 2016 compared to 2015, but offences are still up about 55 per cent on 2013.

Aggravated burglaries by offenders aged 10 to 18 have been on the rise in the past two years after a drop in 2014, but are still below the number recorded in 2012.

Which youths are committing which crimes?

Commentary about the Apex gang has focused on children from Sudanese and Pacific Island backgrounds, leading to hard-line anti-migrant rhetoric and calls for tougher penalties for youth offenders.

State Opposition Leader Matthew Guy, speaking at a recent forum for crime victims, said: "If they are not an Australian citizen, then, frankly, I think they [have] worn out their welcome out and should be deported."

The Federal Government has cancelled the visas of 172 convicted criminals, just two of those are linked to Apex crimes.

Victoria Police does not record ethnicity in its official LEAP database, but place of birth is recorded.

The figures show youth born in Australia commit the most crimes in all three categories.

Last year, offences committed by youths born in Sudan jumped significantly and were second highest.

Proportionally, Sudanese-born youths are vastly over-represented in the statistics, responsible for 7.44 per cent of alleged home invasions, 5.65 per cent of car thefts and 13.9 per cent of aggravated robberies.

The latest census data shows people born in Sudan or South Sudan made up 0.11 per cent of Victoria's population in 2011.

Peer support worker Deng Maleek, who works with youths in the Sudanese community, acknowledged there was a problem but said focusing on ethnicity was problematic.

"The statistics show us that a lot of those kids engaged in criminal activity are as young as 13 — so they were born here," he said.

"They don't feel a sense of citizenship anymore and they don't feel like they belong to this country."