The age of criminal responsibility is the age at which someone can be charged, convicted and sentenced for a criminal offence. In all States and Territories in Australia, the age of criminal responsibility is 10 years.

Aboriginal children are disproportionality impacted by the low age of criminal responsibility, as they are more likely than non-Aboriginal children to have contact with the youth justice system at an early age, less likely than non-Aboriginal children to receive a caution from police, and more likely to be charged with a criminal offence.

Raising the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14 years will have a significant impact on Aboriginal children, who are disproportionality impacted by the low age of criminal responsibility. By 2031, the Victorian Government has committed to close the gap in the rate of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people under youth justice supervision.