In NSW, 10-year-olds can be sent to prison. That is too young.
The evidence is clear. Criminalising children harms families and kids, and it is not making communities safer. The NSW Government can and must do better for children and communities.
The Justice and Equity Centre is coordinating the NSW campaign to Raise the Age of criminal responsibility from 10 to at least 14. We have built a partner network of more than one hundred and fifty peak bodies, charities, community services, human rights and civil society organisations, and our work is driven by an influential lead group from across civil society.
What we do now simply does not work.
By criminalising children as young as 10, we cause them harm and waste significant amounts of public money.
Arresting and jailing children at this crucial period in their development shapes their future. It causes lifelong trauma, and means children miss out on education, learning instead from the criminal justice system.
The younger a child is when they come into contact with police, courts or prisons, the more likely it is they will have ongoing contact across their lifetime.
We need to invest in our communities and prevent crime by addressing its causes.
We have a choice. We can continue to punish children and get the same bad results. Or we can stand up for kids, deliver the services they need, teach accountability and support them to stay away from criminal offending, making our communities safer.
In NSW, we are failing too many children, families and communities. This failure means the most disadvantaged children are the most likely to come into contact with police, at an early stage of their lives. The risk factors are well known and we need to shift government priorities to address those risks, setting kids up to thrive.
Children need community-based, age-appropriate and therapeutic interventions, like mentoring or support to stay in school. Evidence shows this successfully addresses problematic behaviour and supports children to develop a sense of responsibility.
Our partner network includes many specialist organisations who work with children, families, and communities. Their expertise and experience should be harnessed, funded and used to build a better way for kids and communities.
The Justice and Equity Centre and Raise the Age NSW are demanding the NSW Government work with us to create a better system for children, communities and the budget bottom-line.
The Justice and Equity Centre is a leading independent law and policy centre. We help build a fairer, stronger society by tackling injustice and inequality.
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