‘Crimes I’d never heard of’: Ex-crim says ‘adult crime, adult time’ risks teaching kids how to add to their criminal resume
In and out of juvenile detention and prison from the age of 17, it didn’t take long for Jacob Little to find the perfect training ground for criminal offences.
Where he was sent to commit robbery became a masterclass in crime for the then-teenager.
“When I was around other kids… the kids were talking about committing crimes,” Mr. Little told NewsWire.
“These were crimes I’d never heard of. I didn’t know how to do them, so I said, ‘Hey, why don’t I try this? Sounds good.’
“Guys talk to me about how to blow up the ATM… that wasn’t even on my agenda at that age.
“I just started learning and going to school because other kids were hanging out with older criminals out there who were teaching them these things.”
Mr Little, now 34 and a law student trying to help break the cycle of crime, condemned Victoria’s adoption of “adult crime, adult time” following tough new bail laws introduced by Premier Jacinta Allan that mean custody is no longer a last resort for young offenders.
Children aged 14 and over now also face adult sentences in adult courts for violent crimes such as aggravated trespassing, armed robbery and machete crimes.
“Putting people in prison doesn’t work… You go into juvenile hall, there’s no positive role model anymore to teach young people like me that you can still make money… it doesn’t have to be through crime,” he said.
‘Events happened very quickly for me’
Mr Little was in and out of Queensland prisons from 2008 to 2014 for gang violence offences.
“Things escalated very quickly for me, I ended up in prison for over 20 years,” Mr Little said.
“I thought this was going to be the rest of my life.”
The penny dropped when he faced the possibility of not being able to talk to anyone close to him, who had been released from prison on parole on the condition that he not contact any gang members.
Still heavily involved with gangs at the time, this dilemma led Mr. Little to leave crime and embark on a journey into advocacy, which led him to launch About Time for Justice and Healing Voices, which respectively help people navigate the legal system and break the cycle of incarceration.
His work has led to Mr Little breaking free from some cycles of crime, including one man who “turned away from being a cyclist” after hearing him speak at a community engagement talk in Melbourne.
One of her upcoming events, About Connection Time, focuses on youth crime and hopes to help break that cycle.
Mr. Little calls for more money to be put into programs where children can learn from mentors who have been through the system, rather than keeping them behind bars, noting that he has no one to turn to when he is released from prison.
“Everyone was a criminal, a cyclist, a drug dealer,” Mr Little said.
“Connectivity is a big part of breaking that cycle… We want to bring the youth in these street gangs into the room.”
As the state grapples with a rise in youth crime, at-risk children will be linked with mentors who are former youth offenders through the Violence Reduction Unit, which the Allan government announced in November.
New laws clogged the courts
Incidents of alleged crime involving children aged 10 to 17 have risen by almost nine per cent to 24,615 in 2025, from 22,682 the previous year, according to Crime Statistics Agency data.
However, following the new legislation, the number of criminal cases resolved in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court has decreased and costs per case have increased, Court Services Victoria (CSV) reported.
The case clearance rate was almost eight percent below target last year; In addition to the latest legislative changes, the report includes a high number of initiatives compared to 2024.
“Recent legal reforms have increased the number of bail applications; court time has been shifted from the disposition of cases to prioritize bail matters,” the CSV report said.
The average cost per criminal case also rose 17.9 percent to $1,950 from $1,653 the previous year, also as a result of the new laws.
“The difference between the forecast and the full year result is due to lower finalizations resulting from recent legislation change which has led to an increase in bail applications requiring more time in court,” the report said.
A Victorian government spokesman claims this is proof that tough bail laws work.
“Our tough bail laws have made it much harder for criminals to get bail. This means more applications, including repeat applications after bail has been refused or cancelled. This is expected and means our tough bail laws are working,” the spokesman said.
‘Creating children beyond problems’
Lauren Cassimatis, a criminal lawyer and founder of Gallant Law in Victoria who met Mr Little through his advocacy work, claims the laws “create bigger problems for society”.
Recognizing that community safety is paramount, he has pushed for a focus on prevention and providing children with better ways to explore outside crime, as Mr Little has done.
He warned that the new legislation could backfire and encourage children to commit crimes.
“Prison is so isolating, alienating and demoralizing; if you put them in that environment, you’re creating kids who have problems beyond problems,” Ms. Cassimatis said.
“By doing this, we are not protecting the interests of society.
“I think we need to be a little more humane, we are dealing with children.”
Ms. Cassimatis represents up to 10 children a month, and charges often range from armed robbery to assault.
Many of the children he represents have experienced abuse, trauma, neglect, or have grown up with alcoholism and drug abuse.
“They don’t have role models within the family that they can really trust and make a better life for themselves, so they either repeat these behaviors or they feel so damaged within themselves that they then seek validation and belonging through other groups, which is why many of them join these clubs or gangs,” he said.
He praised NSW’s drive towards rehabilitation, with NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley welcoming the reforms last year, saying “we can’t arrest our way out of this youth crime”.
We hope ‘draconian’ bail laws are an opportunity to reform
Victorian bail laws have been branded “draconian” by Victorian Aboriginal Children and Community Agency (VACCA) chief executive Muriel Bamblett, who is concerned about the risk of putting more Indigenous children behind bars.
Of the 884 youth detainees across the country on an average night in the June 2025 quarter, 56 per cent were First Nations, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data found.
Ms. Bamblett said many Indigenous children VACCA works with grew up in postcodes of poverty, dealing with drugs, alcohol and violence within the family, and echoed a sentiment similar to Ms. Cassimatis.
“Young people suffer tremendous pain and loss, and that’s what we expect them to do.
“It means being resilient,” he said.
“There is no one parenting them… We have to figure out what it is that offends the kids.”
The number of criminal cases resolved in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court has decreased and costs per case have increased following new bail laws, Court Services Victoria reported. Provided. Credit: News Corp AustraliaMs Bamblett hopes that because bail laws are still new, Victoria now has the chance to review the laws and look for opportunities to improve pathways to rehabilitation.
“We need to warn the justice system; this should not be limited to ensuring that children and young people are detained and serve their sentences,” he said.
“When they get out of the justice system, it’s an ideal time to work with them therapeutically to make sure they have access to things that will keep them out of the justice system…(so) they’re on the path to addressing their crimes.”
A Victorian government spokesman said there was “no single solution to youth crime”.
“Our Adult Term for violent offenses sends a clear message to young offenders – your serious criminal actions have serious consequences and you will face a longer prison sentence,” the spokesman said.
“Working with communities, the Violence Reduction Unit will help keep young people in school, open pathways to work, strengthen families and intervene early when there are clear signs that a child is at risk.”
