Children could face life sentences for serious offences under Victorian government ‘adult time’ plan | Victoria
Under the Victorian government’s plan to tackle youth crime, 14-year-olds who commit “serious crimes” will be punished as adults.
The state government said on Wednesday it would adopt “adult period for violent crimes” laws similar to those in Queensland, which has implemented the tough approach, in 2024.
Under proposed changes that the prime minister will announce on Wednesday, children as young as 14 could be tried in adult courts and possibly face life imprisonment.
“We are introducing Adult Time for violent offences,” Victorian premier Jacinta Allan said in a social media post.
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Mel Walker, former head of criminal law at the Law Institute of Victoria, described the proposal as “extraordinary, bad policy and counterintuitive”.
“Are we as a society comfortable with dealing with children in this way, and are we prepared for the consequences how many years into the future when they are so deeply affected by adult custody?” Walker told ABC radio Melbourne.
The majority of children who come to the courts have experienced domestic violence, have been subjected to violence themselves, or are being managed by child protective services with little or no family support, Walker said.
“Many of these kids have a real desire to belong, and that motivates their participation,” he said.
“But they don’t have this capacity for results-oriented thinking because their brains are clearly and rightfully underdeveloped.”
The state’s opposition leader, Brad Battin, said the premier had no credibility and Victorians could not trust him to deliver on his promises.
“Today’s announcement is the first in pursuit of yet another headline with no plan to follow up and deliver,” Battin said.
Victoria has been plagued by rising crime rates, with burglaries, break-ins and youth recidivism set to rise by 15.7% in the year to mid-2025.
While Victoria police say children are rapidly turning to extreme violence, around 1,100 young people aged 10 to 17 have been arrested a total of 7,000 times, according to the latest crime statistics.
Queensland has introduced tougher “adult crime, adult time” laws in response to a 17-year-old fatally stabbing mother Emma Lovell during a home invasion in 2022.
This law allows juvenile offenders to receive mandatory life sentences for serious crimes such as murder, with a minimum of 20 years before parole.
The Victorian announcement comes after the state government backed down on plans to ban face coverings at protests.
Allan had previously signaled a general ban on face masks and balaclavas at protests, but on Tuesday he said police could order masks to be removed if they suspect a protester has committed or is about to commit a crime.
