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Starting today, teenagers in Victoria, some as young as 14, will be subject to adult sentencing for serious offenses like aggravated home invasions and carjackings. This marks a significant shift in the legal landscape, with potential prison terms for 14 to 17-year-olds increasing dramatically from a maximum of three years to a potential 25 years.
The change comes in response to current sentencing disparities in Victorian courts. While 97 percent of adults convicted of aggravated home invasions or carjackings receive jail sentences, only 34 percent of minors facing similar charges end up behind bars.
This legislative move mirrors efforts in Queensland, where Premier David Crisafulli has reported a 7.2 percent decrease in crime victims since introducing similar laws in December 2024.
Alongside tougher youth sentences, the Victorian government is also implementing a ban on considering good character as a mitigating factor during sentencing. This further underscores the state’s commitment to a stricter stance on youth crime.
The new laws follow on from state counterparts in Queensland, where Premier David Crisafulli has cited a 7.2 per cent drop in victims of crime last year since the landmark legislation was enforced in December 2024.
In addition to the crackdown on youth sentencing, the Victorian government is also enforcing a ban on good character during sentencing.
The ban means the courts can no longer consider evidence of a person’s ‘good character’ as a reason to reduce their sentence.
Currently, good-character references are only banned in certain cases including child sexual abuse, but today’s announcement would implement the ban system-wide.
“Victim-survivors of crimes are having to sit in court and hear that the person who harmed them is a ‘good person’ â that compounds the trauma, diminishes their experience and can’t continue,” Attorney General Sonya Kilkenny said.
“This is about also looking at ways we can strengthen and support our justice system to support victim-survivors,” Premier Jacinta Allan added.
Courts can still consider the other factors they usually would when sentencing, such as the chance of reoffending
The legislation will be brought to Parliament in the middle of the year.
