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New Zealand's chief youth court judge, Judge John Walker. Photo: Supplied
Despite young ram raiders being frequently in the news, the number of young people ending up in court is dropping.
In the year to the end of June, just over 1300 young people aged 10 to 17 had charges finalised in court - compared with 1500 the previous year.
Outgoing Principal Youth Court Judge, John Walker, tells Kathryn about how youth court has changed over the years.
He says the young people who do come before the court have complex issues underlying their offending - including neuro-disabilities, the exposure to trauma and brain injury, and the challenge is to address these issues early to avoid a "revolving door".