Raise the age review finally released to the public

After two years and countless FOI requests a report into the jailing of children as young as 10 has been released.

The AMA and other groups have been asking for the report, the Draft Final Report, 2020 - Council of Attorneys-General Age of Criminal Responsibility Working Group, to be released to the public for two years. 

The report, prepared in 2020, was informed by more than 90 public submissions, including the AMA and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, health, legal and human rights organisations, and experts.

The report’s primary recommendation is to raise the age of criminal responsibility across all jurisdictions in Australia to 14 years-of-age.

Last month the Northern Territory passed legislation to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 years of age to 12. In all other jurisdictions the age of criminal responsibility remains at ten years-of-age.

The AMA says attorneys-general must now act urgently to raise the age to 14.

Currently the law disproportionately impacts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island children.

The AMA would be pleased to be a part of consultations with governments to support the legislative changes and is pleased to see that scope to strengthen community-led support programs to include culturally appropriate and trauma-informed diversionary programs has been recognised in the report.