Paediatricians condemn NT law lowering age of criminal responsibility
18 October 2024
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) is deeply concerned about the health effects of the Northern Territory’s (NT) new law to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 10 years.
Professor Nitin Kapur, President of the RACP’s Paediatric and Child Health Division says, “This move will worsen the health and social outcomes for children in the Territory, particularly First Nations children.
“The RACP has advocated for a nationally consistent minimum age of criminal responsibility of at least 14 years, and we praised the NT when it adopted the Don Dale Royal Commission’s recommendation to raise the age to 12 years.
“This new law is a step backward. It will not only worsen outcomes for children, but it risks reinforcing cycles of intergenerational trauma.”
The RACP is keen to work with the NT Government on a health-first approach to youth justice and public safety by involving paediatricians and other child health experts in youth justice healthcare service design and delivery and prioritising First Nations health leadership.
“Sending children to prison is not the answer – there are other alternatives that are culturally safe and which we believe can improve the health and social outcomes for children to put them on the right path.
“We cannot stress this enough: children as young as 10 years do not belong in prisons.
“We need to prevent children from coming into contact with the youth justice system as a way to improve outcomes, not put them behind bars.
“Now, more than ever, we need to work with the Northern Territory Government to ensure that healthcare services are in place to support children in the youth justice system, and at risk of contact with it,” says Professor Kapur.