4. The statistics provided by government departments, NGOs, academic and other experts to the Portfolio Committee are far from reliable or comprehensive enough and there are also many gaps in the research on crime committed by children. However, it is reasonably clear that while there are many complex objective and subjective reasons for crimes committed by children, a significant part of crime has fundamental material and structural roots - and unless we adequately address these systemic issues, and develop a child justice system that is effectively based on both preventing and combating crime, we will not be able to reduce the levels of crime committed by children over time. This is not to be reductionist (understand crimes by children to be simply an outcome of the structure of society), nor is it to ignore the subjective choices children make to commit crime for which they must be held accountable; it is about finding a balance between the objective and subjective dimensions of crime committed by children - and it is this that underpins the key changes to the Child Justice Bill that the Portfolio Committee effected. Of course, key aspects of preventing crime by children are dealt with in other legislation and the policies of other Departments, but the Child Justice Bill also has to contribute to this - and this too explains part of the Portfolio Committee's approach.