Desperados and Moral Panic

The sad narrative of our Youth Crime.

Radio, TV, newspapers and online social media posts bring us daily stories about what appears to be an escalating epidemic of youth crime. Shops and homes are invaded, and the occupants are often assaulted if they fail to co-operate with young offenders. Motor vehicles are regularly stolen by these intruders and taken for high-speed joy rides.  Sadly, this often results in serious accidents which injure or kill the young delinquents and other road users.    As a result, emergency services personnel face the harrowing task of dealing with gruesome crash scenes, while relatives face years of anguish. Inevitably, the victims of these crimes and their relatives are devastated, and experienced a range of emotions such as grief, anxiety, anger and depression.

Tragic Townsville accident scene

Details of these appalling offences then become sensational breaking news stories in both print and electronic media .This depiction of young offenders as desperate and dangerous has long fuelled anxiety in the public imagination, shaping political rhetoric and media coverage alike. Frequently, youth crime is seized upon as evidence of a looming crisis, prompting calls for harsher penalties and stricter controls. This narrative, however, often overlooks the complex web of circumstances—social, economic, and personal—that underpins much youth offending.

Public discourse tends to cast these young people as products of moral decline or failed discipline, focusing blame rather than seeking understanding. As a result, the policies developed in response are reactive, seeking to appease societal fears rather than address root causes. The “moral panic” surrounding youth crime thus becomes self-perpetuating, reinforcing the view that punishment is the primary solution, and marginalising alternative approaches grounded in evidence and empathy.

This “law and order” approach is based on a set of appealing common-sense assumptions.

• When a young person commits an offence, they incur a debt to those they have harmed and to society in general. To repay this debt they must be punished to an extent that reflects the severity of their wrongdoing.  

• Custodial punishment keeps young people “off the streets” and therefore unable to continue their criminal careers ·  

• The more severe the punishment, the more likely is an offender to learn the error of his or her ways.

However, there is little or no evidence to support any of this reasoning. Custodial sentences, per se, are unlikely to equip young offender with the social and vocational skills necessary to become a law-abiding citizen when they are eventually released.  Indeed, a “short sharp shock” may be much more effective than longer periods of incarceration during which young offenders often learn how to “work the penal system” and are accultured by the negative, deviant, and resentful attitudes of their fellow inmates.  The appealing slogan “adult crime – adult time” is mistaken and misleading.

Well established research in Australia and internationally indicates that prevention rather than punishment is the key to reducing the burden of juvenile crime.  This research has repeatedly identified several key causal factors: Unstable family environments, inconsistent discipline, and a lack of positive role models often contribute to the early emergence of anti-social behaviours among young people. When these factors are compounded by disengagement from education, young individuals are left without the basic literacy, numeracy, and social tools necessary for healthy participation in society. Over time, these deficits create barriers to meaningful employment, stable relationships, and constructive community involvement, setting the stage for cycles of disadvantage and offending. 

This research also shows that risk factors do not operate in isolation. They interact with health challenges, developmental delays, and functional impairments, exacerbating vulnerability and reducing resilience in the face of adversity. Early intervention programs which focus on parenting support, educational engagement, and targeted social services have proven far more effective at preventing youth crime than punitive measures alone. By addressing the root causes—rather than simply reacting to symptoms—communities can foster environments in which young people are encouraged to thrive, rather than become casualties of neglect and exclusion.

The development of children and young people is also affected by broad social and economic issues such as:

Ø  The overwhelming toxic influence of social media

Ø   The rapid unplanned growth of the Australian population leading to a major housing crisis.

Ø  The tensions generated by consumerism and an increasing disparity in income and wealth distribution in Australian society.

As a society we tend to acknowledge and reward children and young people who excel academically or demonstrate sporting prowess, and we also tend to be drawn to children or young people who are cute or entertaining.  Kids who are dull, deprived, unattractive underachievers tend to “fly under the radar” until they become

For some kids it's not a lucky country

young delinquents.  As their offending becomes increasingly outrageous, they achieve the kind of acknowledgement that they crave by starring as desperados on social media!

 Its easy to fortet that all to-day’s children and young people – both the stars and the smugglers - will shape the Australia of to-morrow. The welfare of our children is so much more important than the development of sporting stadia, casinos, and the consumer lifestyle accoutrements on which we lavish so much of our time and resources.  It seems clear to me that the root cause of the juvenile crime crisis is our lack of care, concern and resources that we invest in our children and youth. The solution is certainly not “adult crime – adult time”.