Victoria Unveils Controversial 'Adult Time for Violent Crime' Legislation
The Victorian government, led by Premier Jacinta Allan, has declared a significant and contentious shift in its approach to youth crime. Under a new plan announced on Wednesday, children as young as 14 could be tried as adults for serious violent offences, potentially facing life imprisonment.
Premier Allan described the policy as 'Adult Time for Violent Crime', signalling a tougher stance on youth offending. The proposed laws would see young offenders aged 14 and over facing up to 20-year jail terms for the most severe crimes, mirroring legislation recently implemented in Queensland.
Legal Experts Voice Strong Opposition
The announcement has been met with immediate criticism from legal professionals. Mel Walker, a former chair of the Law Institute of Victoria’s criminal law section, condemned the proposal as 'extraordinary, bad policy and counterintuitive'.
Walker raised profound concerns about the long-term consequences, questioning whether the community is prepared for the impact of sending children into adult custody. She highlighted that a high percentage of young offenders appearing in court have backgrounds involving family violence, are under child protection services, or lack stable family support.
'They don’t have the capacity … for this consequential thinking, because obviously and legitimately, their brains are just simply underdeveloped,' Walker told ABC Radio Melbourne, emphasising the developmental differences between adolescents and adults.
Political Reaction and Crime Statistics
The state's opposition leader, Brad Battin, questioned the government's credibility, accusing Premier Allan of 'chasing another headline with no plan to follow through and deliver'.
The policy shift comes against a backdrop of concerning crime data. Victoria has seen criminal offences spike by 15.7% in the year to mid-2025, driven significantly by thefts, home invasions, and repeat youth offenders. According to the latest statistics, approximately 1,100 youths aged between 10 and 17 were arrested a combined 7,000 times, with police reporting a trend of children quickly escalating to extreme violence.
The Queensland model, which inspired Victoria's plan, was introduced following the tragic 2022 home invasion murder of mother Emma Lovell by a 17-year-old. That legislation mandates life sentences for serious offences like murder, with a minimum of 20 years before parole eligibility.
This hardline youth justice announcement follows the state government's recent retreat from a proposed ban on face coverings at protests, instead granting police powers to order mask removal where criminal activity is suspected.
