Calls by youth justice advocates to increase the minimum age of criminal responsibility continue to ring, ahead of the release of the Northern Territory’s royal commission final report.
Currently, legislation in each jurisdiction of Australia considers children over the age of 10 potentially liable for their actions.
The call to increase the minimum age of criminal responsibility echoes concerns raised by UN Special Rapporteur Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, who on her recent trip to Australia described the high rate of Indigenous incarceration as the most “distressing” aspect of her visit.
NT Children’s Commissioner, Colleen Gwynne says the chance of children re offending increases every time they go through the system.
Chris Cuneen, a professor of criminology at the University of New South Wales says while there is evidence for the move, todays political climate lacks the will to follow through.
