Raising the age of criminal responsibility is only a first step. First Nations kids need cultural solutions

Sun, 31 Jul 2022 22:34:35 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/raising-the-age-of-criminal-responsibility-is-only-a-first-step-first-nations-kids-need-cultural-solutions-186201>

"In some Australian states, children can legally be detained from the age of
ten years old. This has led to over-policing and over-incarceration of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. First Nations children
represent 50% of youth incarcerated during 2021.

Incarcerating children can cause irreparable harm, particularly for those who
have complex health and social needs. Children who are removed from their
families and communities during crucial stages of development and placed in
youth detention are exposed to a form of social control, stigmatisation and
criminalisation that in many cases inflicts lifelong harm.

Indigenous voices are seeking not just to raise the age of criminal
responsibility to 14 years, but to implement an Indigenous-led model of care
that provides culturally appropriate early childhood holistic care. In
addition, addressing social issues of poverty, employment and access to health
and housing would help provide stable lives for otherwise at-risk children."

Cheers,
       *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics

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