In Australia, children as young as ten will face adult prison term

In Australia, children as young as ten will face adult prison term

Queensland, an Australian state, has enacted legislation that will hold children as young as ten accountable under the same legal penalties as adults for serious offences, including murder, serious assault, and burglary.

The government has stated that implementing stricter sentencing guidelines is a direct response to widespread community outrage regarding crimes committed by young offenders, asserting that these measures will serve as a deterrent.

Numerous experts have highlighted research indicating that harsher penalties do not decrease youth offending and may, in fact, worsen the situation.

The United Nations has criticized the reforms, contending that they overlook conventions related to children’s human rights and contravene international law.

The Liberal National Party (LNP), which won the state election in October, emphasized the new rules as a central theme of its campaign, asserting that they priorities “the rights of victims” over “the rights of criminals”.”

“These laws are designed for every Queenslander who has ever experienced feelings of insecurity and has fallen victim to youth crime throughout our state,” Premier David Crisafulli stated following the passage of the bill in parliament on Thursday.

In the lead-up to the vote, political factions on both sides asserted that Queensland was experiencing a surge in youth crime, arguing that a more rigid stance was essential to address the problem.

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals a significant decline in youth crime in Queensland over the past 14 years. The figures indicate that youth crime reached its lowest recorded rate in 2022 and has maintained a relatively stable trend.

Data released by the Queensland Police Service and the Australian Institute of Criminology indicate a distinct decline in crime rates.

The government has introduced new legislation labelledme, adult time.” This set of laws outlines 13 offences requiring stricter prison sentences for young offenders. Notably, it includes mandatory life imprisonment for murder, accompanied by a non-parole period of 20 years.

The previous maximum penalty for young offenders found guilty of murder stood at 10 years in prison, with life imprisonment reserved for cases deemed “particularly heinous.”

The recent legislative changes eliminate provisions that prioritise “detention as a last resort,” which previously encouraged non-custodial measures like fines or community service for minors over incarceration. These new laws will also allow judges to consider a child’s complete criminal history during sentencing decisions.

The Queensland Police Union has described the changes as “a leap forward in the right direction.” Meanwhile, Queensland’s new Attorney-General Deb Frecklington stated that the reforms will enable courts to “better address patterns of offending” and “hold people accountable for their actions.”

In summary, Frecklington highlighted that the changes contradict international standards, indicating that Indigenous children would face disproportionate impacts. He also pointed out that an increase in the number of young people held in police cells for extended durations is likely, as detention centres are currently at capacity.

Queensland currently holds the highest number of children in detention compared to any other state or territory in Australia.

On Thursday, Premier Crisafulli addressed concerns regarding the current situation, acknowledging the potential for “pressure in the short-term.” He emphasised that his administration is committed to a long-term strategy to ” deliver a raft of other detention facilities and different options.”

Anne Hollonds, Australia’s commissioner for children, characterised the changes as an “international embarrassment.”

She further alleged that the Queensland government is “ignoring the evidence”, indicating that “the younger a child comes into contact with the justice system, the more likely it is that they will continue to commit more serious crimes”.

“The provisions of the bill, which specifically target our most vulnerable children, render this retreat from human rights all the more shocking,” she stated in a Wednesday announcement.

During a parliamentary hearing on the bill last week, several legal experts expressed concerns about potential unintended consequences for victims. They indicated that the proposed laws might make children less inclined to plead guilty due to the prospect of harsher sentences, which could ultimately increase trials and extend delays in the court system.

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