Raise the age: Better for kids and our community

Criminally punishing 10-year-olds is wrong. It is not only morally unjustified, but it also makes no sense from the point of human biology.

Increasing the age recognises that children under 14 are still developing. Their brains are still forming, with the risk-taking part developing ahead of the part dealing with consequential thinking.

All of the research shows the longer children are kept out of the formal justice system the better for them and the community.

It costs more than $2700 a day to keep a child at the Ashley Youth Detention Centre. By way of contrast, it costs about $180 per day to support a child in out-of-home care.

Keeping young children out of the justice system makes us safer, is more cost effective and gives these children a shot at a better life.

Let’s raise the age.

This is an excerpt from TLA Director Vincenzo Caltabiano’s opinion piece that can be read here.