The Wire

The age of criminal responsibility in most of Australia is still 10 years old, despite continued campaigns to lift it to at least 14, in accordance with the target set by the United Nations.

First Nations youth represented 50% of youth that were incarcerated in 2021, leading to researchers in the University of Queensland to push for more culturally sensitive solutions in the realm of  juvenile justice.

PHD candidate Lorelle Holland is one of these researchers and while pushing to raise the age, considers it to be only the first step in solutions to help First Nations youth caught in the system.