In recent months, there has been increasing focus on crime committed by young people in Australia. Politicians are coming under more pressure to respond to these well-publicised criminal acts and the public perceptions that Australia is in the grips of a youth crime crisis.
In Queensland for instance, a group called Voice for Victims has been holding protests and recently met with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to push their demands for a stronger law and order response and higher assistance payments to victims.
But is youth crime actually increasing? Are we at crisis point? It depends on how we define a crisis and what the data says.
