Why a lawyer backs the push to raise the age of criminal responsibility

Daniel Andrews has indicated he may ditch the national process to raise the age of criminal responsibility if a consensus cannot be reached, and a lawyer says the stance makes a lot of sense.

Speaking on Thursday, the Premier said the current age of criminal responsibility, which is ten, is “not right, and it needs to change”, and Victoria won’t wait on other states and territories if they don’t agree to move to raise the age to 12 or 14.

Senior police have told Neil Mitchell they’re very worried.

But principal at Robinson Gill Lawyers, Jeremy King, supports raising the age of criminal responsibility.

Press PLAY below to hear why Mr King backs the move to raise the age of criminal responsibility

“Realistically within the system the law assumes a child is … incapable of evil between 10 to 14,” he told Neil Mitchell.

“Kids are being charged and their lawyers go and get clinical reports to show the child didn’t know what they were doing.

“That’s costly, it results in kids being kept out of school with multiple court appearances, it puts a strain on the criminal justice system and ultimately it doesn’t achieve anything anyway.”