In a shocking and regressive move, the Northern Territory of Australia is
planning to resume jailing children as young as 10 years old. This alarming decision comes after a brief pause that began last year, when the region's government had raised the age of criminal responsibility to 12 years old instead.
Just as alarming: most Australian states have been allowing authorities to jail 10 year old children this whole time.Indigenous rights organizations, human rights groups, doctors, and members of the international community have been sounding the alarm about the harm that these punitive measures are inflicting on vulnerable youth. We have to stand with them!
Sign the petition to demand that Australia's federal government raise the age of criminal responsibility, and stop jailing children!On top of everything else, Australia's practice is also
very clearly racist. Evidence shows that these criminality laws disproportionately
target and victimize children from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. In the Northern Territory, authorities throw children in jail 11 times more frequently than in any other Australian jurisdiction - and
nearly all of these children are Aboriginal.Imagine the fear and trauma of being a 10-year-old, treated like an adult, and thrown into a criminal "justice" system that only demonizes you, without looking at the broader societal contexts you're enduring. Research indicates that incarcerating children has devastating impacts on their mental health, education, and future prospects.
The decision to lower the age of criminal responsibility back to 10 not only fails to address the root causes of youth behavior but also exacerbates the cycle of trauma and disadvantage that many of these children face.
Sign the petition against the jailing of 10-year-olds and demand investment in community-based support systems that foster rehabilitation and growth, rather than punishment. Together, we can ensure that children are treated with the compassion they deserve - not as criminals, but as the next generation, deserving of hope and opportunity.