Survey shows 'surprising' rate of criminal records for under-21s

A survey of people born in New South Wales in 1984 has revealed 10 per cent of them had a criminal record by the time they turned 21.

The most common convictions were for drink driving and other traffic offences.

The results show that most of the people who appeared in court did so only once.

NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research director Don Weatherburn says it is the first year such a study has been done in Australia, so it is not yet known if the figure is out of the ordinary.

He says he did not think the proportion of people who have criminal records would be so high.

"To find out that 10 per cent of those born in 1984 have a criminal record before the age of 21 is quite surprising in some ways," he said.

"Although it has to be borne in mind that most of these people had one court appearance and no further appearance, so it is not as if they became career criminals.

"I guess the more interesting point is that it's the small percentage who repeatedly appear who account for most of the appearances.

"For example the 2 per cent who appear in court 10 times or more account for 15 per cent of all the appearances by people in this age group."

Monday, September 11, 2006

Survey shows 'surprising' rate of criminal records for under-21s