<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/victoria" rel="" target="" title="Victorian"><span>Victorian</span></a><span> teenagers who commit violent </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/crime" rel="" target="" title="crimes"><span>crimes</span></a><span> could face life imprisonment from today as the state government enforces its 'adult time for violent crime' laws.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>From today, Victorian teens as young as 14 who commit crimes such as aggravated home invasions and carjacking will face adult sentences in adult jail.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That means the maximum jail sentence faced by a person aged 14 to 17 will surge from three years to 25 years.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/vb-turns-to-new-mid-strength-beer-as-australia-alcohol-habits-change/116eb7c4-71b7-4762-a861-58a263c80396" target="_blank"><strong><span>VB pins hopes on mid-strength as Aussies drop classic beers</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the Victorian courts, 97 per cent of adults sentenced for aggravated home invasion or aggravated carjackings go to jail.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, just34 per cent of children and young people sentenced for the same crimes are given prison time.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The new laws follow on from state counterparts in Queensland, where Premier David Crisafulli has cited a 7.2 per cent drop in victims of crime last year since the landmark legislation was enforced in December 2024.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/adult-time-for-adult-crime-laws-come-into-effect-victoria/5e6c0878-d853-403d-85b2-14ed9b28c723" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Youth experts and advocates have </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/adult-time-violent-crime-victoria-laws-how-will-it-work-everything-to-know-explained/42699856-e96d-4d00-a622-46442e7390c7" rel="" target="" title="broadly criticised"><span>broadly criticised</span></a><span> this approach to tackling crime.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In addition to the crackdown on youth sentencing, the Victorian government is also enforcing a ban on good character during sentencing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ban means the courts can no longer consider evidence of a person's 'good character' as a reason to reduce their sentence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Currently, good-character references are only banned in certain cases including child sexual abuse, but today's announcement would implement the ban system-wide.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/solicitor-charged-allegedly-stealing-15-million-dollars-from-clients/f56fdaea-f3ff-44b0-9c2f-d19a2132020c" target="_blank"><strong><span>Sydney lawyer allegedly stole nearly $15 million from clients</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Victim-survivors of crimes are having to sit in court and hear that the person who harmed them is a 'good person' – that compounds the trauma, diminishes their experience and can't continue," Attorney General Sonya Kilkenny said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is about also looking at ways we can strengthen and support our justice system to support victim-survivors," Premier Jacinta Allan added.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Courts can still consider the other factors they usually would when sentencing, such as the chance of reoffending</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The legislation will be brought to Parliament in the middle of the year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 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