28 June 2024
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians welcomes the Victorian Government’s moves towards raising the age of criminal responsibility and encourages the Opposition and crossbench to support this initiative without delay.
The RACP has long advocated for raising the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14 years, in line with medical evidence and advice. Professor Nitin Kapur, President of the RACP Paediatrics and Child Health Division, says “the College welcomes the Victorian Government’s change that will see Victorian law treat children as kids and not criminals.
“We are very pleased to see that the Victorian Government has joined the Northern Territory, the ACT and Tasmania in prioritising children’s health. It’s now time for all parties and members of the Victorian Parliament to take a public stand with children and support the Bill.
“The College continues to stress that the minimum age of criminal responsibility should be raised to at least 14 years – not 12 years – as soon as possible if we want to see even greater improvements in health outcomes for children.
“There is resounding support for the age of criminal responsibility to be raised to at least 14 years across health, civil society and First Nations groups.
“Children between the ages of 10 and 13 years do not belong in the youth justice system and instead need wrap-around supports and community-led alternatives.
RACP Fellow and paediatrician Dr Mick Creati says “this is a positive step to protect vulnerable children from cycles of disadvantage and it is especially critical to improving health outcomes for First Nations children, who are over-represented in the criminal justice system and are deeply impacted by it.
“Children who interact with the criminal justice system often have complex health issues that can affect them for the rest of their lives.
“Urgent reform is imperative or we will continue to see children experience the trauma of the criminal justice system at too young an age.
“Raising the age of criminal responsibility to 14 years across all states and territories, with no exceptions or carve-outs, is in line with the standards as set by the United Nations and child development experts.
“It is a good sign that states and territories are listening to the overwhelming evidence that children under the age of 14 years do not have the same capacity as adults to process information and recognise the consequences of their actions – but we still have a long way to go.”