Nearly half of youth offenders placed in community remand homes run away. 

A memo from Oranga Tamariki revealed between August 2020 and February 2023, 40 percent of youth offenders placed in community remand facilities nationwide escaped lawful custody. In Auckland, 49 percent escape.  

Blue Light Chief Operating Officer Brendon Crompton tells Mike Hosking the remand facilities have no restraint policy, meaning the youth can not be stopped. 

Teenagers are impulsive and not necessarily able to recognise that the community space is a good place for them to be – with three meals a day and programmes on offer. 

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