More S’pore youth caught for offences in 2025, largely due to rise in cheating cases

About 19% more young people were arrested in 2025, with the increase largely driven by a rise in cheating offences, such as youth acting as scam mules.

A total of 3,117 young people aged between 10 and under 21 were arrested in 2025, up from 2,627 in 2024, according to the Supporting Youth Rehabilitation Trends Report released by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) on Sept 29.

The rise in youth arrests pushed the youth offending rate up from 4.8 per 1,000 young people in 2024 to 5.6 per 1,000 young people in 2025. But this is still lower than the peak of 5.8 per 1,000 young people in 2021.

The report, released once every two years, gives an overview of the key youth offending and rehabilitation trends from 2021 to 2025.

Cheating and related offences were the most commonly committed offences in 2025, with 1,114 youth caught for such offences – a 37% jump from 814 in 2024. 

They include youth who acted as money mules by giving scammers control of their bank accounts or Singpass credentials, or registering SIM cards or mobile lines for scammers to use.

In other cheating cases mentioned by the report, some youth forged identification documents or used other people’s identification documents to enter clubs or buy cigarettes, as they were not old enough to do so.

Franz Lowe, assistant director of Youth Service@Children’s Society, said some youth get into trouble with the law as they want fast and easy cash. For example, they may get $50 or $100 for facilitating a few transactions after giving scammers access to their bank accounts.

He said: “To them, they feel the chances of getting caught is low. And it’s easy money.”

In non-scam cheating cases, Lowe said some youth sold fake items online or did not deliver items to buyers after getting paid.

The second most common offence was theft and related offences. Most commonly stolen items were food and drinks, personal care products and cosmetics.

Lowe said that some youth steal for the fun and thrill of it, so they can boast to their friends.

Other youth steal items of low value such as food, drinks and personal care items as they have run away from home and do not have money to buy such necessities, he said.

Sexual offences were the third most commonly committed offence by youth in 2025.

Meanwhile, the drug offending rate for youth remained stable at 0.5 per 1,000 young people in both 2024 and 2025. Drug consumption offences ranked fifth on the list of top offences committed. 

The proportion of youth who reoffended within two years of completing their rehabilitation programme or court order, which is known as the two-year recidivism rate, also rose.

The two-year recidivism rate for Tier 1 and Tier 2 cases rose from 9.1% for those released in 2022 to 10.3% for those released in 2023. Rehabilitation programmes are grouped into three tiers, with Tier 3 cases requiring the most intensive rehabilitation. 

The report noted that the recidivism rate dipped during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, likely due to movement restrictions and fewer opportunities for offending. Rates returned to pre-pandemic levels for youth released from 2022.

Those under Tier 1 go through rehabilitation programmes such as the Guidance Programme and the Youth Enhanced Supervision Scheme, which are run by social service agencies that operate diversionary programmes and are known as Integrated Service Providers. 

Tier 2 cases involve youth placed in youth homes or are under probation orders, while Tier 3 cases are sent to agencies under the Singapore Prison Service’s purview, such as prison and the Reformative Training Centre.

The number of cases on Tier 1 rehabilitation programmes more than doubled from 233 cases in 2024 to 495 cases in 2025.

The increase was partly driven by the placement of first- and second-time etomidate abusers on the Youth Enhanced Supervision Scheme, said a spokesperson for MSF. Such placement started in 2025 for those who abuse etomidate, which is an anaesthetic used in e-vaporisers known as Kpods.

The Youth Enhanced Supervision Scheme is meant for those under 21 who are arrested for drug consumption for the first time and assessed to have a low risk of re-offending.

In April, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung raised concerns about recalcitrant young vape users, including some who get caught three times even while undergoing rehabilitation. 

More youth were also placed on Tier 3 schemes for serious offences like drug consumption, loan shark harassment and acting as money mules for scammers.

The number rose from 276 cases in 2024 to 399 cases in 2025.

The report outlined various initiatives to prevent and lower youth offending.

The police have worked with the Education Ministry to include anti-scam messages in school advisories and outreach programmes, while stepping up public education efforts to raise awareness among youth over the consequences of facilitating scam activities.

MSF also started a new programme in April called Pivot Families (Positive Interventions that Value Opportunities and build Thriving Families), where it is engaging with youth offenders to identify and support their siblings before they also get into trouble with the law.

The MSF spokesperson told The Straits Times that the support given is tailored to each family’s circumstances. This involves coordinating the support given between schools, social service agencies, government partners and other agencies to reduce the risk of offending.

MSF and the Ministry of Home Affairs said addressing the rise in youth offending remains a high priority.

In its next term, the National Committee on Preventing Offending and Reoffending will focus on three priorities: boosting preventive education, improving early identification and coordinated support for youth and families at higher risk, and strengthening rehabilitation and after-care efforts to reduce reoffending.

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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