It’s been announced that children as young as fourteen could face decade-long jail terms under Victoria’s new proposed laws.
Jacinta Allen, the Victorian premier announced yesterday that the state government will bring in “adult time for violent crime” laws. This means children under 14 could be tried in adult courts and face life terms for committing serious violent crimes, including home invasion, carjacking and aggravated carjacking.
TOO MANY VICTIMS
“There are too many victims and not enough consequences,” the premier said at a press conference announcing the new bill.
The announcement was denounced as “unforgiving” by the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service CEO, Nerita Waight.
SERIOUS MISTAKE
“We are a state now that is unforgiving, unflinching and decides that if a child makes a serious mistake, they therefore forfeit their life,” she said, pointing out that the plan would target Indigenous children disproportionately.
Monique Hurley from the Human Rights Law Centre agreed, saying, “children deserve care, not cages and adult prison sentences.”
Currently children commit 60 per cent of robberies, almost 50% of aggravated burglaries and a quarter of car thefts in Victoria. But while 34 per cent of children and young people sentenced for these kinds of offences go to jail, this number is closer to 97 per cent when sentenced for the same crimes in an adult court.
HARSHER SENTENCES
The maximum jail sentence imposed in the Children’s Court for any offence is currently three years. The County Court, where adult cases are heard can impose sentences of up to 25 years.
The bill is expected to be brought to parliament before the end of 2025 with the harsher sentences to be introduced next year.
Queensland’s similar “adult crime, adult time” laws were expanded upon last May in what Amnesty International called a “violation of children’s rights” and “openly racist”.
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