Teenage offenders in Victoria will have to work on their education or employment under the new proposed Youth Control Order, or they will be sent back in custody.
Premier Daniel Andrews announced new measures to crack down on the youth crime that has spiked in Melbourne in recent months.
The premier also said a new offence will be created for adults who lure young people to commit crimes for them, which will carry a maximum penalty of ten years in jail regardless of the crime committed by the youth.
“These comprehensive reforms will hold young offenders to account and help keep Victorians safe,” said Premier Daniel Andrews.
The new measures include increasing the period of detention that can be imposed by the Children’s court on young offenders from three years to four years.
The new Youth Control Order will enable the Children’s Court to issue more intensive and targeted supervision sentence for young offenders, restricting where they can go and whom they can meet. The court will have powers to send the offenders back in detention in case of noncompliance.
“The community rightly expects young offenders to be punished for their crimes. This package will help to ensure they are being dealt with properly,” said Attorney-General Martin Pakula.
While sentencing repeat offenders for serious crimes with previous convictions in similar offences, the magistrates in Children’s courts will be required to give particular consideration to community safety.
The new law will also make it mandatory for the Youth Parole Board to notify Victoria Police when violent and repeat offenders are released on parole.
Police Minister Lisa Neville said the reforms are required because the existing measure aren’t working against a “small dangerous group of young offenders.
The legislation is expected to be introduced next year.
