A softening of the Victorian government's commitment to raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 14 is a disappointing and ineffective way to respond to youth crime concerns, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) in Victoria.
"The government must stick to its promise to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility," said Susan Accary, Victorian President, Australian Lawyers Alliance. "Stepping back on this promise will not reduce crime but will instead destroy young lives.
"Taking a 'tough on crime' political response to youth offences will not make our communities safer but it will result in more vulnerable children being entrenched in the criminal justice system and becoming locked into a dangerous cycle of disadvantage."
There is significant evidence showing that, the younger children are when they first encounter the justice system, the more likely they are to reoffend and the less likely they are to finish their education and find employment.
"It is often the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children who come to the attention of the justice system at such a young age," said Ms Accary.
"Raising the age of criminal responsibility to 14 is a critical step to help reduce the incarceration of young people, who should only ever be detained as a last resort, and the Victorian government must stick by this commitment.
"The current low age of criminal responsibility in Australia, including in Victoria, is in breach of human rights standards and puts Australia out of step with much of the rest of the world. We know that prisons are obviously not safe for any children, and we have, unfortunately seen far too many tragic examples of abuse experienced by children while in detention."
