The Victorian government has announced changes to its youth justice system.

The state says it is making important moves to shift its approach to handling serious youth offenders. 

However, the plans have sparked considerable controversy due to the government’s decision to abandon a promise ro raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14.

The amendments to the Youth Justice Bill 2024, coupled with changes to the Bail Act, are designed to impose tougher consequences on repeat and serious offenders. 

The reforms include the introduction of a new crime category for committing serious offences while on bail, a revision of the bail test to emphasise community safety, and expedited processes for handling such cases in the Children’s Court.

“We’re making these changes because every serious offender should feel serious consequences. And every Victorian should feel safe,” said Premier Jacinta Allan.

This sentiment was echoed by Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes, who said the reforms would streamline cooperation between courts and police to address youth crime effectively.

Despite these assurances, the government's decision to stop short of raising the age of criminal responsibility to 14 has drawn sharp criticism, particularly from Victoria's Aboriginal leaders and human rights advocates. 

Eleanor Bourke, chair of the Aboriginal truth-telling Yoorrook Justice Commission, has called the decision “contrary to the evidence” and “difficult to comprehend”. 

She pointed out that the current laws exacerbate existing inequalities and fail to address the root causes of offending, such as poverty and trauma.

Similarly, Meena Singh, the state's Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People, highlighted the impact on disadvantaged children.

“The decision to now abandon the staged move to 14 in 2027 has let children and young people down, particularly children from disadvantaged backgrounds, children who have experienced trauma, mental ill health or live with disability,” she said. 

The Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service also condemned the decision, describing it as a “treacherous decision” that would undermine trust between Aboriginal communities and the government. 

The Human Rights Law Centre echoed these concerns, labelling the decision as “heartless” and a failure to protect vulnerable children.

The Victorian Greens were equally critical, calling the decision a “betrayal” of the commitments made to First Nations communities and experts.

In response to these criticisms, Premier Allan maintained that the current reforms focus on addressing high-risk offending while still aiming to divert young people from a life of crime. 

The government has also committed to other measures, such as a trial of electronic monitoring for youth offenders and more intensive bail supervision, to ensure that the justice system is both effective and responsive.