The Victorian government has recently reversed its promise to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14, citing a series of high-profile incidents involving alleged youth offenders as the reason for the policy shift.
This decision has sparked anger and frustration among community leaders, child advocacy groups, First Nations Peaks, and human rights organizations, including Amnesty International.
Kacey Teerman, Amnesty International Indigenous Rights Campaigner and Gomeroi woman, emphasized that children who are criminalized and incarcerated in Victoria are disproportionately First Nations.
“Premier Jacinta Allan is actively ignoring the evidence that incarcerating children only compounds the impacts of abuse and trauma for these kids and denies them the opportunity to turn their lives around through rehabilitative diversionary programs,” she stated.
She also highlighted that the over-incarceration of First Nations people in Victoria stems from systemic issues, including over-policing and racial profiling of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
These issues have been repeatedly documented in coronial inquests into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths in police and prison custody. Additionally, Teerman noted that children who engage in criminal behavior are often struggling with the effects of intergenerational trauma.
As the debate continues, Terman and other advocates like are calling for the government to reconsider its decision and prioritize the well-being and future of all children, particularly those from marginalized and vulnerable communities.
