Key information
- Our Youth Justice Act is being reviewed for the first time in 30 years.
- The goal of the review is to reduce repeat offending and make communities safer.
- The Review is focused on being tough on the causes of crime and smart on the response, addressing the root causes of offending and intervening earlier.
- A Discussion Paper will be released soon, with public consultation open for three months.
The Youth Justice Act 1997 (Youth Justice Act) sets the vision for the youth justice system.
A review of the Youth Justice Act is currently underway. Reviewing the Youth Justice Act is a critical step in reforming Tasmania’s youth justice system.
It will ensure the legislative framework supports early intervention, therapeutic responses and evidence-informed practice, consistent with the Youth Justice Blueprint 2024 – 2034 (PDF, 1MB).
The review supports the implementation of:
- the Youth Justice Blueprint 2024 – 2034
- the Youth Justice Model of Care (PDF, 1.3MB)
- key recommendations from the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings
- the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability
- the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
Areas under consideration in the review, include:
- Legislative pathways that prioritise prevention and early intervention, connecting children and families with appropriate services and restorative justice processes.
- Changes to support raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility and minimum age of detention.
- Embedding a child-centred rights-based approach that protects the rights of children and young people, victims and the community.
Extensive community consultation will begin in 2026. Information on how you can contribute to that process will be available soon.