Proposed changes to bail laws will not address the root causes of youth crime
We understand the current concerns about youth crime and community safety. However, the Victorian Government’s proposed changes to bail laws will not address the root causes of youth crime or result in making our communities safer. In fact, it may have the unintended consequence of clogging the bail system with people involved in low level offences. The changes will disproportionately impact the state’s most marginalised community members, including Aboriginal women and children, multicultural youth, and vulnerable young people in residential care.
We agree that there is a need for a circuit breaker, as existing responses are failing. A multi-faceted approach that looks at ways of keeping the community safe, whilst also maintaining a focus on early intervention crime prevention, and structural and system reforms, is more likely to deliver lasting and impactful change.
Multicultural communities have had their trust in police eroded, and any solution should prioritise rebuilding this trust.
It is important that law reform in this complex area is informed and underpinned by evidence, lived experience, and advice of experts.
We call, therefore, on the Government to:
- Establish a Roundtable with representatives from community, young people and families with lived experience in the justice system, Victoria Police, victims of crime, judiciary, researchers, and sector agencies with experience in the field. The Roundtable needs to identify evidenced-based approaches for long-term sustainable change and responses to the current issues.
- Conduct an independent comprehensive review of bail laws alongside the review of the electronic monitoring devices.
- Complementary investment in providing young people on bail with services, including therapeutic and rehabilitative supports.
- Introduce a knife crime education program alongside the amnesty and banning of this dangerous weapon. We believe that young people should be engaged and consulted on designing the education program and ban implementation.
We’re deeply concerned that the proposed changes will only further harm disadvantaged communities – without offering a real solution to the underlying challenges they face.