Victoria Considers Life Sentences for Teenagers as Young as 14

The Jacinta Allan administration has introduced a bold initiative named “adult time for violent crime,” which could lead to Victorian courts imposing adult-like sentences on children aged 14 and older involved in violent offenses.

This controversial legislation, set to be presented in parliament today, represents a significant justice reform aimed at increasing the likelihood of youth offenders facing imprisonment.

Statistics from Victorian courts indicate that 97 percent of adults convicted of aggravated home invasion or carjackings receive prison sentences.

In contrast, only 34 percent of minors involved in similar crimes are sentenced to jail time.

The government’s proposal seeks to establish imprisonment, potentially even life sentences in some instances, as a mandatory punishment for such violent acts committed by juveniles.

At present, the children’s court can impose a maximum sentence of three years for youths aged 14 to 17 found guilty of aggravated home invasion or a single violent crime.

In an adult court, it is 25 years in jail.

Adult time for violent crime would mean these offences can carry a life sentence for anybody aged 14 and above.

The bill, if passed in parliament, would require some significant amendments to the Crimes Act, the Children, Youth and Families Act and the Youth Justice Act.

The government said it wants to push the law through parliament to ensure the courts can enforce it from 2026.

So, why is this happening now?

Politicians have been battling it out over the state’s escalating crime crisis for some time.

Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley even labelled Melbourne as the country’s “crime capital” earlier this year.

Young offenders were “overrepresented” in serious and violent crimes including robberies and aggravated burglaries in the 12 months to June 2025.

The government hopes the threat of going to jail will be incentive enough to stop young people breaking the law.

It wants to abolish the rule that jailing children is the “last resort” in the court system.

”We want courts to treat these violent children like adults, so jail is more likely and sentences are longer,” Premier Allan said.

“This will mean more violent youth offenders going to jail, facing serious consequences.”

What are the crimes subject to adult jail sentences?

Is this working in Queensland?

It was one of the pillars of the campaign that saw the LNP sweep into government following a crime crisis in the state.

A little less than 3000 youth criminals were charged under the landmark law in Queensland between December 2024 and October 2025.

The Queensland government praised its own laws and said it had been making the state safer – pointing to a 10.8 per cent reduction in victims of crime between January and October this year.

Police data also found the number of victims of stolen cars dropped by 15.6 per cent, break-ins 21.2 per cent and robberies by 12.6 per cent over the first nine months of 2025.

“These are promising early signs, but we are not taking our foot off the pedal,” Crisafulli said of the statistics.

Criticism over sending children to jail

Youth experts and advocates have broadly criticised this approach to tackling crime.

The Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission said in a statement it was “highly concerned” that children aged between 14 and 17 could face life behind bars in the state.

”We didn’t get here overnight. Preventing children from committing crime is complex requiring long term action to address underlying problems of poverty, trauma and injustice,” a spokesperson said.

“Children who commit crimes often have a disability, are the victims of crime themselves or have been in the child protection system.”

“Once you process a young person through the system and you put them into custody, the likelihood of them re-engaging in criminal activity is absolutely significant,” Associate Professor in Criminology and Justice studies at RMIT Marietta Martinovic said.