NT Children’s Commissioner says no kid under 14 should be locked up

The NT Children’s Commissioner has renewed calls to raise the age of criminal responsibility after Amnesty International released a report recommending the threshold be lifted from 10 to 14

NT Children's Commissioner Colleen Gwynne says no child under 14 should be locked up.

THE NT Children’s Commissioner has renewed calls to raise the age of criminal responsibility after Amnesty International released a report recommending the threshold be lifted from 10 to 14 last week.

Children’s Commissioner Colleen Gwynne said no child under 14 should be locked up.

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“There is overwhelming scientific evidence about the developing brain — especially the parts of the brain that regulate judgment, decision making and impulse control — which shows that children have limited capacity to foresee the consequences of any action and cannot fully understand the criminal nature of their behaviour,” she said.

‘Kids in prison are less likely to access what they need to grow into positive members of our community, such as education, mentoring and community support.

Ms Gwynne said no amount of money invested in new detention centres would produce better results than a more therapeutic approach.

“The NT has other mechanisms of holding children and young people accountable for their actions, without sending them to jail,” she said.

“We need to ensure that these programs are adequately funded and are culturally and developmentally appropriate, so they have the greatest positive impact on children and young people’s behaviours — this is in the interest of all community members.

‘While it is a complex matter, decisions regarding the wellbeing of our children should be based on fact, therefore any suggestion that the age of criminal responsibility should not be raised would need to be backed by clear scientific evidence, which to my knowledge does not exist.”

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It comes after the NT News revealed a teenage boy found unfit to stand trial would languish in Don Dale for years due to a lack of appropriate alternatives.

Chief Justice Michael Grant said a psychiatrist found the then 14-year-old did not understand the concept of entering a plea and would likely be unable to follow court proceedings.