Following a spate of public shootings and firebombings, the NSW government introduced legislation on Tuesday increasing jail terms for criminals recruiting children to do their dirty work and igniting 'kill cars'.
"If these people think they're above the law, they can sit and procrastinate over that in Long Bay jail for much longer," Police Minister Yasmin Catley said.
"Any penalties that are significant amounts of years are absolutely a deterrent".
Anyone who sets a car alight after using it to traffic drugs, supply firearms or commit other serious crimes could face up to 12 years in prison, two years more than the punishment for destroying or damaging property by fire.
The maximum penalty for recruiting a child for criminal activity will increase from 10-to-12 years and up to 15 years if the child is under 16, or hired to steal cars.
Those who shoot a pistol or prohibited firearm in public will face up to 14 years in jail and criminals who fire at buildings or other cars could find themselves behind bars for 18 years.
Police officer turned Macquarie University criminology lecturer Vince Hurley says the laws won't deter criminals from recruiting young Australians.
Dr Hurley, whose policing career saw him develop and implement statewide crime reduction policy in NSW, said increasing maximum penalties was politically convenient yet unlikely to stop crime.
"They're already in that environment of crime, they already know the consequences, but they don't just give a f**k," he told AAP.
"A lot of organised crime in Sydney is run from overseas, so it doesn't really matter how much extra time is imposed ... and it's not a great increase in time."
Young Australians hired through encrypted messaging apps from overseas criminals would also be undeterred, he said.
The proposed legislation comes amid nationwide concerns of youth crime.
In Victoria, children committed 57.6 per cent of carjackings, 52.6 per cent of home invasions, 47.8 per cent of aggravated burglaries and 62.4 per cent of robberies, according to government statistics.
Last year, the Victorian state government responded with new laws where minors are charged adult prison terms for violent crimes.
Queensland has passed similar laws, while the Northern Territory has lowered the age of criminal responsibility from 12 to 10.
NSW police commissioner Mal Lanyon, said the proposed legislation reflects the changing nature of organised crime.
"It's about saying the type of behaviour we're seeing at the moment, that puts fear into the lives of the community, is not acceptable."
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