Record-high crime in one state is being driven by the "prolific offending" of a core group as authorities raise the alarm about a rising trend of extreme youth violence.

There was a near-16 per cent jump in offences in Victoria in the 12 months to June 30, 2025, the latest Crime Statistics Agency data shows.

Some 5400 individuals who were arrested 10 times or more committed 40 per cent of the state's total crime.

About 1100 youths aged 10 to 17 were arrested a combined 7000 times as Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Bob Hill declared children were quickly turning to extreme violence.

"This escalation goes from zero to 100 with some of those people," he told reporters on Thursday.

"Some of the people we're arresting for these violent offences, these serious assaults, the homicides ..

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