“They are kids, they’re making bad choices, but they are not bad kids” : Motivations and deterrents for joyriding amongst Australian youth

Car theft and joyriding are becoming increasingly common in regional areas of Australia. Whilst the consequences of these actions can be fatal, surprisingly little is known about the motivations for young people who engage in these behaviours. This exploratory study draws from 17 in-depth interviews that were conducted as part of a pilot intervention program aimed at adolescents either already engaged or susceptible to car theft and joyriding behaviours. The findings suggest that joyriding predominately attracts disenfranchised youth who lack opportunities for education, employment, and leisure. For these adolescents, joyriding emerges to counterbalance disadvantage and alleviate the monotony in their lives. Interviewees also provide suggestions for deterring joyriding, such as providing young people with occupational opportunities that allow them to serve as role models to themselves and others and adrenaline-based activities to replace the thrills of joyriding.