The Latest Breaking News from Mindy Sotiri

Boy, 16, held in ‘cramped’ prison cell alone for 22 hours a day for weeks, Victorian ombudsman finds

Ombudsman finds government breached teen’s human rights, saying the conditions ‘bordered on solitary confinement’

The Guardian - AU · Sep 24

Fears political frenzy not facts guiding youth justice

A national inquiry recommends evidence-based standards and a multi-agency safety task force to reduce youth incarceration and address systemic inequalities.

AAP · Sep 18

Commonwealth urged to protect children in custody

The failure of states and territories to protect kids in their criminal justice systems means the federal government must intervene, an inquiry has been told.

AAP · Apr 9

Bail failing: legal services warn against tighter laws

Restricting bail and increasing penalties do not work to reduce crime, legal experts say, as 'tough on crime' measures continue to sweep across Australia.

AAP · May 8, 2025

NT's youth crime crackdown 'locking up a generation'

Legal and health experts have slammed the Northern Territory's plans to lower the age of criminal responsibility and reinstate the use of spit hoods.

AAP · Aug 30, 2024

Minister backs need for more support programs in ACT's prison

Emma Davidson agrees more needs to be done to support prisoners.

The Canberra Times · Feb 28, 2024

$20m fund would keep more out of jail, make ACT safer: report

Justice Reform Initiative calls for funding to prevent incarceration.

The Canberra Times · Feb 27, 2024

Justice system puts troubled tweens on downward spiral

Current responses to children aged between 10 and 13 with alleged offending have little therapeutic or developmental benefit, a new criminology report says.

AAP · Jan 19, 2024

Harmful and costly prisons 'failing to reduce crime'

South Australia's incarceration rate jumped by almost a third in the past decade, leading advocates to call for a rethink on the role of prisons in society.

AAP · Nov 28, 2023

'Broken' prison system sparks call for funding shake-up

An advocacy group is calling on the Victorian government to redirect money away from the state's prison system to get further ahead on justice reform.

AAP · Nov 14, 2023