Getting tough on youth crime? Public support for punitive youth justice policies in Aotearoa New Zealand

Amid recent shifts towards more punitive responses to youth offending, this study examines public support for punitive youth justice policies in Aotearoa New Zealand. Using survey data from 401 adults, we assessed support for six punitive policies (e.g., boot camps, harsher sentencing) and explored predictors of support. Most participants supported punitive measures for youth who committed serious offences. Support was higher among those with conservative political beliefs and lower educational attainment. Beliefs about youths’ capacity for change were also associated with attitudes: those believing youth could be rehabilitated were less supportive of punitive policies, whereas those perceiving a high likelihood of reoffending were more supportive. These findings show that beliefs about young people’s potential for change influence support for punitive youth justice policies. They highlight opportunities to shift public attitudes toward more evidence-based approaches through educating people about the efficacy of rehabilitation and the developmental nature of youth offending.