NSW Government invests $23 million to tackle youth crime and build safer regional communities

The new investment focuses on two key priorities: breaking the cycle of reoffending among young people on bail and preventing at-risk youth from entering the justice system in the first place.

It bolsters support in high-priority regional communities for bail supervision, intensive case management, and early intervention and diversion.

Since April 2024, the NSW Government has rolled out targeted strategies like NSW Police Operation Soteria, tougher bail laws, and pilot interventions in Moree, Riverina and Western Sydney.

While there is still work to do, we are seeing encouraging signs. The June 2025 BOCSAR quarterly update on NSW Recorded Crime Statistics revealed that, in the two years to June 2025, young people proceeded against to court declined significantly by 12.3 per cent in regional NSW.

Despite progress, regional communities in NSW still face higher crime rates than cities. Moree, Tamworth and Kempsey in particular continue to experience higher than average rates of youth crime, and those towns receive targeted funding in this package.

The funding package includes:

$12 million to continue place-based responses in Moree and expand responses in Tamworth and Kempsey

The NSW Government will work beside the local communities to identify local services and mechanisms that help young people engaging, or at risk of engaging, in crime.

The funding will enable local leaders and service providers to co-design prevention and diversion programs that work for their communities such as youth hubs, after-hours activities, intensive family supports, intervention programs and alternative education pathways.

This will provide a vital intervention point for the most vulnerable young offenders, offering residential supervision and programs delivered by local partnerships.

These towns have strong communities and appetite to support their young people and tackle youth crime - the place-based NSW Government funding will look to capitalise on this.

$6.3 million to provide intensive bail supervision and support for young people

The NSW Government will invest $6.3 million to go towards intensive bail supervision and support, including:

• Five caseworkers - continuation of one based in Moree, and an additional two based in Tamworth and two in Kempsey to support young people on bail to prevent persistent offending and better understand their legal orders.
• More regular check-ins with young people on bail, helping young kids comply with their bail conditions and connect them to positive supports to reduce the risk of them falling back into the same situations and patterns of behaviour.
• Completion of the Moree Bail Accommodation Service- a safe, supervised facility to remove vulnerable young people from high-risk situations and provide structured programs and guidance.

A site for the Bail Accommodation Program in Moree has been secured, and Youth Justice is due to take possession next month.

We have already increased bail support and after-hours services in Moree while this work continues.

$5 million for a new Community Safety Investment Fund

A further $5 million will establish a new Community Safety Investment Fund, open to community and non-government organisations across NSW.

The fund will back innovative and potentially scalable local initiatives that prevent or respond to youth offending, strengthen families, and build safer, more cohesive communities.

The fund recognises many communities need support, particularly in regional areas.

This fund is open to organisations across NSW and will prioritise applications targeting areas with the highest demonstrated needs and service gaps.

Building safer regional communities

Everyone deserves to be safe in their home, in their communities, including in our regional towns.

When serious crimes occur, there must be consequences. But we also want to give young people every chance to turn their lives around - by supporting them, their families, and the communities that shape them.

We know there's still more to do. This funding package builds on the strong steps the NSW Government has already taken, including:

• tougher bail laws for repeat offenders;
• a 'post and boast' offence targeting online glorification of crime;
• $13.4 million for Moree's targeted response;
• $5.5 million for youth diversion and violence reduction programs;
• paid police recruits to boost frontline numbers;
• stronger knife laws under Jack's Law; and
• the release of the Doli Incapax review to guide future reform.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said:

"This package is about giving local people the tools they need to turn things around for their young people."

"These are complex issues that won't be solved overnight, but we are in this for the long haul."

"What we don't want to see is young people wrapped up in the justice system again and again, which is why this package is a balance of intervention, prevention and wrap around support measures."

NSW Minister for Police, Yasmin Catley said:

"The NSW Police are working day in, day out to address youth crime and steer kids towards making better choices - they are doing everything the police can do.

"We know we can't arrest our way out of this which is why the Government is working to help break the cycle by implementing targeted diversionary programs and addressing the root drivers of this offending.

"I've visited regional towns right across NSW and the message is clear - everyone wants to feel safe in their community and for kids to have the best possible chance at a good life and the Minns Labor Government will continue to work hard to deliver exactly that."

NSW Minister for Youth Justice Jihad Dib said:

"We have said before that serious offending needs to have consequences, but this government also wants to support young people to fulfil their potential - this means supporting their families and communities as well, often at a local level.

"This funding package reflects how we are working to help young people not to commit a crime in the first place, by funding locally based programs co-developed with local people, that can make a real difference by offering viable alternative pathways within communities."

NSW Attorney General Michael Daley said:

"The NSW Government is investing in measures to reduce crime and the drivers of crime. We have already undertaken significant legislative reform to help keep our communities safe.

"This includes targeting 'post and boast' offenders, strengthening knife laws, and raising the bail threshold for young people accused of repeat car theft and break and enter offences.

"But we know there is more to do, which is why we're continuing to consider a review of doli incapax which presumes children under 14 cannot be held criminally responsible."