The complaint, which was lodged with the UN’s Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, follows an escalation of ‘tough-on-crime’ rhetoric over recent months by some Australian politicians and media commentators, labelling youth crime a “crisis”.

“We read about it in the news each and every day. We see it on our streets. We see it in the fear and hear it in the voices of those that have been let down by our broken justice system,” he said.

Others have questioned whether the crackdown on youth crime is proportionate or being weaponised for political gain.

“As an Aboriginal person, I know firsthand what laws like this do to our communities, the increased resourcing that goes to police as a result of laws like this, the punitive nature of law and policy that is weaponised against Aboriginal people,” Munn tells SBS News.

Youth crime rates: what do the figures say?

According to the latest recorded crime statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics in March, there were 340,681 offenders proceeded against by police across the country in 2023-24 — a 2 per cent decrease from the previous year and the lowest number since the collection series started in 2008-09.

“A lot of the time, youth become a focus, and we use this sort of language to talk about them because when we think about the groups in the community that actually can influence what’s in the media, what’s being said publicly, and who can vote, it’s not youth,” she says.

“If the adults in the community are very derogatory about youth, where will they go for help?”

Victoria, a separate case

“In simple terms, there are less children committing crime, but those who continue to offend are doing so more frequently,” the statement said.

Zahnow elaborates, saying: “We feel like it’s suddenly gotten worse, but it’s actually just that we can see it more.”

‘Knee-jerk’ bail changes condemned

“After listening to Victorians, to victims of crime, to the advice of Victoria Police and to other representatives across the justice system, we needed to bring about a jolt to the system,” Allan told reporters.

The group says the reforms will needlessly lock away more people before trial or sentencing, which will disproportionately affect Aboriginal women and children experiencing poverty, family violence and mental illness.

“It’s in the face of everything the Victorian government has heard through the Yoorrook Commission as well as countless other children’s commissioners, reports and recommendations and the international minimum standard for young people and Indigenous people who are in contact with the legal system,” Munn says.

A ‘national trend’

Munn believes the changes are indicative of a national trend, saying: “It’s really scary.”

“What does this say about our values, about our communities, and about our culture?”

Queensland’s laws ‘not compatible with human rights’

“We do not agree that the so-called exceptional circumstances warrant what will be a flagrant disregard for children’s rights under international law. We also don’t agree that it will make Queensland safer,” Skelton said on X in November.

“These are people who haven’t gone to court, there’s been no finding of guilt yet, yet they’re making up a larger and larger proportion of the populations within these custodial facilities.”

“It might address the community’s immediate public safety concerns … but it won’t necessarily address the longer-term pattern of offending that’s happening as a result of going in and out of youth detention.”

Why are politicians responding in this way?

“In a way, it’s an easy one for politicians to go after,” Hughes says.

“We’re not stopping to go, ‘Hang on, is this really an issue? How much of an issue is it? … And if so, what are we doing about it, and how are we putting the work into this space?'”

How will youth crime factor into the federal election?

“That’s why we have announced measures to tackle local crime, such as working with the states and territories to deliver uniform knife laws and limiting and restricting the sale and possession of knives to minors and dangerous individuals.”

— With additional reporting by the Australian Associated Press