❓ WA Government is assessing alternative models for young offenders and will consider raising the age of criminal responsibility to 12 after successful development, balancing child needs and community safety.
AnsweredQoN 1012Legislative Council
Asked
10 September 2024
Member
Portfolio
parliamentary secretary representing the Attorney General
QuestionView source ↗
CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY —
MINIMUM AGE
1012. Hon SOPHIA MOERMOND to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Attorney General:
I refer to the Victorian government's
intention to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 12 years, and note that
at a WA Labor 2021 state party conference, a motion was passed to lift the
current age of 10 years to 14 years.
(1) Is the government considering
raising the age of criminal responsibility in Western Australia?
(2) If not, why not?
MINIMUM AGE
1012. Hon SOPHIA MOERMOND to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Attorney General:
I refer to the Victorian government's
intention to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 12 years, and note that
at a WA Labor 2021 state party conference, a motion was passed to lift the
current age of 10 years to 14 years.
(1) Is the government considering
raising the age of criminal responsibility in Western Australia?
(2) If not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. I answer on behalf of the parliamentary secretary
representing the Attorney General. The following response has been provided by
the Attorney General.
(1)–(2) The Cook government, alongside other
jurisdictions, is working to assess alternative models for responding to children who exhibit offending behaviour at a young
age. Once these have been successfully developed , further consideration
will be given to raising the age of criminal responsibility to 12 years. Any
future policy decision regarding the minimum
age of criminal responsibility needs to balance the needs of those children
and community safety. In the interim, across government, we are progressing a number
of initiatives designed to reduce juvenile offending, address the underlying
causes and needs and divert children away from the criminal justice system.
These initiatives fall under a range of portfolios, from justice to
communities, health and education.
some notice of the question. I answer on behalf of the parliamentary secretary
representing the Attorney General. The following response has been provided by
the Attorney General.
(1)–(2) The Cook government, alongside other
jurisdictions, is working to assess alternative models for responding to children who exhibit offending behaviour at a young
age. Once these have been successfully developed , further consideration
will be given to raising the age of criminal responsibility to 12 years. Any
future policy decision regarding the minimum
age of criminal responsibility needs to balance the needs of those children
and community safety. In the interim, across government, we are progressing a number
of initiatives designed to reduce juvenile offending, address the underlying
causes and needs and divert children away from the criminal justice system.
These initiatives fall under a range of portfolios, from justice to
communities, health and education.
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