Youth crime is never far from the public consciousness, but Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan’s announcement of “adult time for violent crime” has brought the issue back into sharp focus.
The proposed changes would see children as young as 14 tried in adult courts, possibly facing life terms. The move comes just one year after Victoria became the first state to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12.
For context, the United Nations and the Australian Human Rights Commission’s recommended age is 14.
