According to regulations approved by the Australian state of Queensland, children as young as 10 years old who are found guilty of crimes like murder, major assault, and break-ins will face the same punishment as adults.
“Community outrage over crimes being perpetrated by young offenders” prompted the government to enact stiffer sentencing guidelines, which it claims will serve as a deterrence.
However, a number of experts have cited studies that demonstrate that harsher punishments actually make juvenile crime worse rather than less.
The measures have also drawn criticism from the UN, which claims they contravene international law and ignore accords on children’s human rights.
The restrictions were a defining feature of the Liberal National Party’s (LNP) campaign, which won the state election in October.
