SINGAPORE, Nov 8 – The top crimes among young offenders in Singapore in 2023 were shoplifting, cheating and penetrative sex crimes, according to a new report by the country’s Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF).

MSF’s Youth Rehabilitation Trends Report, released today, highlights trends in youth rehabilitation and crime, covering data from 2019 to 2023.

The report shows that 509 young offenders, aged between 10 and 20, were involved in theft, making it the most prevalent crime in 2023.

Fraud and related offenses followed with 422 cases, mostly related to scams and cyber crimes.

Meanwhile, 250 youths have been reported for sex offenses involving penetration.

According to the Singapore daily The Straits TimesMSF said the age group most likely to commit crimes were those aged 16 to 18, outstripping the younger age groups of 10 to 15, as well as older youth aged between 18 and 20 years old.

In response, the government amended the Children and Young People’s Act (CYPA), allowing cases involving offenders aged 16 to 18 to be dealt with by the Youth Court.

This change, which will come into effect on January 1, 2025, is intended to provide age-appropriate rehabilitation, recognizing that “these older young offenders may not have the cognitive maturity to understand the seriousness of their offending,” a carrier said spokesperson of MSF for ST.

Currently, the Youth Court only deals with cases for offenders under the age of 16. Offenders age 16 and older are tried as adults in state or community courts unless they qualify for diversion.

The CYPA amendment will also raise the maximum age of detention in juvenile facilities to 21 to support extended rehabilitation orders of up to three years.

For more serious crimes, such as drug trafficking, certain sex crimes and unlicensed lending, older young offenders can still be tried in state courts to ensure public safety and deter crime, MSF said.

Overall, the CYPA change is expected to benefit around 50 young offenders aged 16 to 18 by the end of 2025, extending rehabilitation that targets their specific risks and needs.

According to ST, Singapore’s youth crime rate has remained relatively low, averaging 5.2 per 1,000 youth between 2019 and 2023. This is lower than New Zealand’s rate of 7.6 and higher than Japan, 2.8 per 1,000.

Notably, fraud and cyber-related offenses saw a significant increase from 260 to 422 cases during this period, while offenses under the Computer Misuse Act increased from 53 to 195 cases.

Offenses under the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons (CESOW) Act, which mainly involve the possession of weapons such as knives, also increased from 92 to 133 cases.

Scams and deception related to cybercrime are a growing concern, with a police study revealing that a growing number of young people are being recruited as money mules – facilitators who help criminals move money.

Between 2020 and 2022, almost half (45 percent) of the money thieves investigated were under 25 years old.

While young offenders are completing more and more rehabilitation programs – reaching a steady 90% completion rate in 2023 – recidivism rates have remained low.

Fewer than 10 percent of those who completed these programs from 2019 to 2021 reoffended within two years.