Victims of youth crime
Information for victims of youth crime
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- Information for victims of youth crime
Overview
This page explains your rights as a victim-survivor of youth crime, how the youth justice process works, and what support options are available to you.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call the Police on 111
If you need the Police but can’t speak for fear of harm, you will be asked to press keys for emergency assistance. If hearing or speaking is difficult, you can sign up to 111 TXT
If you need to leave this website quickly, use the ‘quick exit button’ at the bottom of the screen.
If you need urgent support services, you can get help now
Your rights if you're affected by crime
You may hear terms like victim, survivor, or victim-survivor in reference to being directly impacted, or affected by, a crime. You can choose to use what feels right to you and your experience.
You have rights under the Victims Code and the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 to:
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be treated with respect and dignity
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receive information about the case
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have your views considered
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take part in a Family Group Conference
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attend court.
Safety, protection and support
There are many ways for you and your whānau to apply for protection and be safe. To find out more visit:
You can find nationwide support services on our ‘finding support and resources’ pages:
The youth justice system
Youth justice is different from adult (criminal) justice. It deals with offending by children aged 10 to 13 years, and young people aged 14 to 17 years.
Young people who break the law are treated differently from adults. The youth justice system aims to balance accountability with support and help young people take responsibility for their actions, learn from them, and make positive changes.
There are several ways a child or young person can be dealt with through the youth justice process, depending on their age and how serious the offending was.
In many cases, police will handle youth offending at a community level. They may ask the child or young person to write an apology, pay for any damage they caused, do community service, or take part in a community project.
Youth Justice Family Group Conferences
For more serious offending, children and young people may be referred to a Youth Justice Family Group Conference.
These are formal meetings between a child or young person, their family and whānau, professionals such as police and Oranga Tamariki.
You have the right to attend if you choose. Taking part can be a chance to share how you’ve been affected and what you would like to happen next.
Youth Court and Family Court
Most youth justice cases are worked out through a Family Group Conference. This helps encourage accountability and support the child or young person to make things right.
If things can’t be resolved through a Family Group Conference, the case may go to Youth Court e kōti Taioho o Aotearoa or, in some situations, Family Court.
Youth Court mainly deals with young people aged 14 to 17 at the time of the alleged offending and sometimes children aged 12 to 13.
Family Court is different from the Youth Court. It focuses on the care and protection of children. Children aged 10 to 13 may be referred to the Family Court if their offending raises serious concerns about their wellbeing.
Children under the age of 10 cannot be charged with an offence.
You can visit our Youth Court and Family Court pages to find out more: