Figure Eights, Spin Outs and Power Slides: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth and the Culture of Joyriding

Car theft for the purpose of joyriding (for short-term transportation or non-utilitarian purposes) has almost exclusively been the domain of young male perpetrators. Accordingly, existing research has primarily focused on the relationship between males and automobiles as an expression of their masculinity or as a rites of passage to adult status in society. However, there are few studies that examine young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders' Indigenous involvement in joyriding behaviour. This paper focuses on the outcomes of a 2-year research project that examined the motivations of Indigenous youth who stole cars for the purpose of joyriding. The perceptions of these young offenders highlight that joyriding can be understood as a distinct culture that allows youth the space to resist forms of governance. The paper concludes with an examination of alternative measures for diverting young offenders away from custodial sentences in a bid to decrease the high numbers of youths who steal cars for the express purpose of joyriding.