Act Party leader David Seymour Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
ACT wants to spend half a billion dollars building youth detention centres that would be run by the Department of Corrections if it is in government after October's election.
It follows a spate of ram raids - some involving children as young as 11 years old, using stolen cars.
Act's leader David Seymour said the centres would differ from those run currently by Oranga Tamariki, by not just being about support, but also punishment.
"It may, in many instances be the first time, that a lot of these kids, have had pretty tough lives, get the mental health support, the physical safety... food and education that they need to go straight. But they're, they're certainly not going to be there as a free ride," he said.
Seymour said if there was no ultimate consequence, then the young people will keep offending.
He told Checkpoint Act's plan proposed more investment in youth justice because "the prison approach that New Zealand is taking does not work."
Seymour said the detention centres, aimed at 14- to 17-year-olds, may be designed by the Department of Corrections.
Total children and young people charged in court in New Zealand from 1992 - 2022 Photo: Figures NZ