In a sweeping overhaul of Victoria’s justice system, the Allan government has announced a tough new reform that will see violent youth offenders as young as 14 face adult court trials and potentially life sentences.
The policy, titled “Adult Time for Violent Crime,” aims to tackle the alarming rise in violent offences that have left many Melbourne residents living in fear.
Under the reform, offenders aged 14 and over charged with home invasions, carjackings, or causing serious injury with gross violence—including machete attacks—will now be tried in the County Court rather than the Children’s Court. They will face the same maximum penalties as adults, with life imprisonment now applying to aggravated home invasion and aggravated carjacking.
Currently, the maximum sentence in the Children’s Court is only three years, compared with 20 to 25 years for equivalent offences in adult courts. This discrepancy, according to Premier Jacinta Allan, has allowed violent offenders to escape serious punishment.
“We want the courts to treat these violent children like adults, so jail is more likely and sentences are longer,” Ms Allan said. “I’m listening to the victims of these horrific attacks, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep people safe.”
Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny echoed the Premier’s stance, saying:
“We absolutely need serious consequences for violent youth crime to protect the community now.”
A shift from soft justice to accountability
The reform marks a significant policy reversal for the Labor government, which under former Premier Daniel Andrews had softened youth justice measures. While the Andrews government raised the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12 years in September, plans to further raise it to 14 by 2027 have now been shelved.
The change comes amid alarming statistics from the Crime Statistics Agency, showing a 14% rise in crime in the past year—the highest on record. Police say a group of about 1100 youths aged 10–17 are responsible for nearly 60% of home invasions and half of all aggravated burglaries across the state.
Deputy Police Commissioner Bob Hill described the current wave of violence as “a perfect storm” that he had never seen in over 40 years of service.
The Herald Sun’s “Suburbs Under Siege” campaign has played a key role in pushing the government to act, after months of reporting on terrified victims and broken bail laws. The campaign also led to a ban on machetes and the reintroduction of charges for bail breaches earlier this year.
Learning from Queensland
Victoria’s approach mirrors Queensland’s “Adult Crime, Adult Time” initiative, introduced by the state’s Liberal-National Party government last year. Data from Queensland shows that within nine months of implementation, victim numbers dropped by almost 10,000, and there were 5000 fewer offences, including fewer robberies and car thefts.
The Allan government hopes its reform will have a similar effect by deterring young offenders through tougher penalties and a stronger sense of accountability.
A new Bill amending the Crimes Act, Children, Youth and Families Act, and Youth Justice Act will be introduced to Parliament later this year, with the changes taking effect in 2026.
