Melbourne is at a breaking point.

What was once a vibrant, safe city has been transformed into a playground for repeat offenders. We are watching a terrifying spike in youth crime spiraling completely out of control. Children as young as 11 and 12, alongside ruthless teenagers, are committing brutal, adult-level crimes-and walking away with little more than a slap on the wrist.

I am not just a concerned resident. I am a primary and secondary victim of this broken system.  And I refuse to stay silent while our neighbourhoods are terrorised.

Our current youth justice system is a joke. It is an outdated, decades-old relic that is completely toothless against modern criminal behavior. Right now, the law prioritises the comfort of offenders over the safety of innocent citizens. This spineless leniency doesn't reform anyone, it emboldens them. It creates a revolving door of crime where offenders enter the system, laugh in the face of the law, and walk right back out to find their next victim.

This isn't just a failure of justice - it’s a betrayal of everyday Victorians.

We need immediate, aggressive legislative action.

We call on Victorian lawmakers to strip away the leniency and enact fierce, modern laws that hold young criminals strictly accountable. We need real deterrents, real consequences, and a complete overhaul of a system that has coddled offenders for far too long. Rehabilitation only works when there is accountability first.  Therefore we demand ... 

• In a Children's Court; to amend the legal principle  'Doli Incapax'  to exclude repeat offenders
  Where by this is a legal presumption under Australian law stating that a child under the age of 14 is criminally incapable of committing an offence because they do not fully understand the difference between right and wrong.
  
  
• In a Children's Court; to amend the legal principle of  'The Prosecution's Burden' to exclude repeat offenders
  Where by to proceed with a trial, prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the child knew their conduct was seriously morally wrong, not just naughty or mischievous
  
  
• In the Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) under Section 5 (2) of the Act, The Sentencing Hierarchy  (Principle of Parsimony) 

  to use strict hierarchy of penalties, starting from the least severe to the most severe if it is;
  a) First Time Offender - where the following may be applied: Adjournment or Dismissal: Releasing the offender with or without a conviction (often tied to a good behavior bond)
  or
  Fines: A financial penalty
  or
  Community Correction Orders (CCOs): A flexible sentence served in the community that requires compliance with conditions like supervision, community service, or drug treatment.
  
  Else
  b) Repeat Offender (including Youth) -  Under the same (Principle of Parsimony, a judge or magistrate must impose a ' strict severe sentence' necessary to achieve the sentencing purposes - where Custodial Orders must be applied: Imprisonment or a specialised treatment detention order (based on professional healthcare report) will be served. 
  
  
  

We also demand a Justice System that Prioritises VICTIMS:  Behind every crime statistic is a victim whose life has been upended. We demand that Victorian lawmakers pivot from protecting offenders to prioritising the healing and voices of victims, ensuring they receive immediate, non-negotiable legal, financial (based on circumstances) and emotional support. Victims of youth crime must no longer be treated as an afterthought. 

Don't wait until you or your family become the next statistic. The government isn’t listening to our pleas, so we must force them to hear our roar.

We are drawing a line in the sand. Enough is enough. 

Sign this petition right now. We demand stricter, fairer, and uncompromising youth criminal laws in Victoria.  Let's take back our streets.

Stop Protecting Criminals, Start Protecting Communities: We Demand Tougher Youth Justice Laws in Victoria!