The passage of the Allan Government’s new laws to sentence children as adults, exposing them to possible life imprisonment for some crimes, marks a tragic turning point for all Victorians.
Passing the bill on the final sitting day of the year, the Parliament heard opposition from a number of MPs who shared the widespread view of experts and sector voices that these laws will fail to reduce crime, will fail to improve community safety, and will cause enormous harm to Victorian children, families and communities.
Justice Reform Initiative Chair Robert Tickner AO said the legislation was fatally flawed and would not effectively respond to community concerns on the need for crime reduction, instead leading to worse outcomes for children and the community as a whole.
“Victoria’s decision to follow Queensland in this ‘tough on crime’ race to the bottom is a mistake which could condemn a generation of Victoria’s most disadvantaged children to deeper involvement with the criminal justice system, pulling them into a quicksand which not only hurts them but also taxpayers and the whole community.
“These laws to treat children as adults for some crimes are in direct opposition to what actually works to build community safety or reduce crime. There is no evidence that locking more children up, or locking up children for longer will make the community safer.
“All the evidence shows that the earlier a child is imprisoned, the more likely they are to cycle in and out of the system for years to come. This is a bad result for children, for taxpayers who have to pay the bill, and for community safety.”
Mr Tickner said the Justice Reform Initiative stood with all those opposing the Justice Legislation Amendment (Community Safety) Bill including First Nations leaders and organisations.
“These laws will add further pressure to an already overwhelmed system at an enormous cost to Victorian taxpayers and to children’s wellbeing. While the government has made some welcome comments and commitments around early intervention, it appears to be placing far greater focus and funding into punitive measures like tougher sentencing and reopening detention centres.
“We need real investment in what works. There are effective, community-based approaches already operating across Victoria that have strong evidence of success. What they need is proper support and scale.”
The Justice Reform Initiative is calling for investment in programs that are proven to work — diversion programs, bail support, education, housing, and First Nations-led initiatives that address the causes of offending rather than managing children in expensive and ineffective prison settings. More information can be found in its position papers here.
About us:
The Initiative respectfully acknowledges and supports the current and longstanding efforts of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to reduce the numbers of Indigenous people incarcerated in Australia and, importantly, the leadership role which Indigenous-led organisations continue to play on this issue. We also acknowledge the work of many other individuals and organisations seeking change, such as those focused on the rate of imprisonment for women, people with mental health issues, people with disability and others.
Contact details:
Pia Akerman 0412 346 746