The reforms have been developed as part of the Government’s Young Offenders Plan, and aim to give authorities better power to deal with young offenders who repeatedly break the law.

The reforms tighten the provisions targeted at youths who repeatedly commit serious offences, to better identify and manage repeat young offenders, with tougher sentences applying to them. This will mean young people declared as serious young offenders will need to spend at least four fifths of any sentence in detention. These declarations will occur automatically, rather than at the court’s discretion.

The changes would also introduce a presumption against bail for serious repeat young offenders when they are arrested for a new, serious offence. As part of the Young Offenders Plan, the Government is investing $3 million over 3 years from the Justice Rehabilitation Fund (JRF) for targeted intervention programs to break the cycle for young people most at risk of repeat offending.

The Department of Human Services is leading the development of these individualised and clinically-informed programs.