POLICE say youth workers and special officers have successfully chipped away at youth crime statistics that peaked at more than double the state average.
The most recent Swan Hill Adolescent Profile (2009/10) shows the rate of offending (137 per 1000 adolescents) was twice that of the state average (65 per 1000 adolescents).
Largely following state-wide trends in offending, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development figures found 18 per cent of Swan Hill infringements were against the person and 56.9 per cent were against property.
While convictions against children are very rare, the rate at which teenagers were placed on Community Based Orders (3.1 per 1000 adolescents) was higher than the wider Loddon Mallee region, and twice that of Victoria.
Since the statistics were released in 2009, Swan Hill Police Inspector Jamie Templeton said police had made a concerted effort to reduce youth offending.
The Inspector said youth offending had reduced 10.3 per cent, far outstripping a state-wide target of 2 per cent, set in January 2009.
He said factors that led to Swan Hill’s higher adolescent crime rate were: an adolescent population 1.6 per cent higher than state average, a high level of disadvantage (ranked 13 out of 79 state-wide), and 17.5 per cent of adolescents diagnosed with special needs (3 per cent above state average).
“There are many factors that have positive and negative impacts on youth that may lead to committing crime” Inspector Templeton said.
“These factors range from: disengagement from family/friends, work and education, poor health or mental health issues.
“Many of these factors go unaddressed due to inadequate services. This has been a proven factor in this LGA over the years.”
Some local agencies had lobbied hard for increased services, which had brought youth workers into health providers, schools and council, while police had introduced its own community liaisons, Inspector Templeton said.
“Swan Hill Police are providing further resources to engage youth, such as our Aboriginal Liaison Officer, Youth Resource Officer, Multicultural Liaison Officer who are all dedicated and working full time in this area and with appropriate background, skills and training.
“Through these resources we are developing and implementing programs, that engage youth with a focus on partnerships, respect, leadership qualities, and connectedness to the community.”
