NSW Youth Detention Soars 32 Percent Amid Bail Crackdown

New figures show a sharp rise in young people on remand, driven by tougher bail decisions and increased break-and-enter offences.

Police block off a street at Bondi Junction, an eastern suburb of Sydney on June 27, 2023 after a shooting incident. Australian police said a man was killed in Sydney's famed Bondi neighbourhood on June 27, in what local media called a "gang hit". (Photo by Andrew LEESON / AFP) Photo by ANDREW LEESON/AFP via Getty Images

The number of young people in custody in New South Wales (NSW) has surged by 32 percent over the past year, with new figures from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) showing an increase of 54 detainees since December 2023.

BOCSAR Executive Director Jackie Fitzgerald attributed the rise to a sharp increase in young people held on remand.