Children as young as 10 can once again be jailed in Australia’s Northern Territory (NT ), after the government there lowered the age of criminal responsibility.
In line with other developed nations and UN recommendations, American states and territories have been subject to strain to lift the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14.
The NT was the first authority to increase it to 12, but the fresh Country Liberal Party government, which was elected in August, stated that a change is required to lower children crime rates.
Despite specialists, human rights organizations, and indigenous groups refuting the theory, it has been claimed that children will inevitably be protected by raising the age to 10.
According to them, the studies indicates that the laws will not reduce crime and may disproportionately affect children from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
The NT already jails children at a rate 11 times higher than any other jurisdiction in the country, and almost all of them are Aboriginal.
Following a plan that promised to be tough on crime, the territory’s fresh government claims to have a mandate.
It contends that making younger kids criminally will help to steer them away from upcoming crimes.
A number of violent incidents this year have prompted a number of children restrictions in the NT town of Alice Springs, and many areas across Australia have declared they are in the grip of a youth violence problems.
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro claimed that the ruling party had given her government a mission to work and that the change may help authorities to “intervene” in the lives of young offenders and train them in programs to address the root causes of their acts.
She said on Monday,” We took to the vote a very clear program around lowering the age of criminal responsibility so that we can catch these young people first, determine what’s going on, and turn their lives about.”
Additionally, the NT government may tighten bail regulations.
” We make no excuses for delivering on our vote promise to protect the area.”
However, studies both nationally and in Australia has shown that incarcerating kids makes them more likely to reoffend and usually has severe impacts on their health, education, and jobs.
A report released earlier this year by the independent federal agency known as the Australian Human Rights Commission found that policy was being driven by populist” tough on crime” rhetoric and that governments should instead reinvest the money used to pay for children’s in support services.
As the NT legislature debated the expenses on Wednesday, around 100 people gathered outside to rally, some carrying signs. One read,” 10-year-olds also have girl teeth”. Another said,” What if it was your child”?.
Shahleena Musk, a Darwinian girl from Larrakia, told the BBC that the Northern Territory children justice system was” strutural prejudice at work.”
She stated that Indian children are less likely to face caution, are more likely to face charges and legal proceedings, and are more likely than non-Aboriginal offenders to be imprisoned.
” I accept that people are fearful in our societies, and crime has been quite popular in the media and social media”, she said.
” But if we rely on the evidence and start to work to address the root causes of crime, we’re going to have less of these kids reoffending… We should n’t be seeing these kids going into a youth justice system which is harmful, ineffective, and only compounds the very issues we’re trying to change”.
Advocates for raising the minimum legal obligation time in other states and territories also worry that the laws will stifle momentum.
Just Victoria has passed legislation that will go into effect following month, but only the Australian Capital Territory has raised the age of legal duty to 10 years old. By 2029, the Australian government has stated that it will increase the age to 14 years old.