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About our inquiry
We established this inquiry to understand the experiences of children who entered the criminal justice system before they turned 14.
Too many children experiencing significant vulnerability in Victoria are criminalised at an early age and exposed to responses that increase the risk of repeating and escalating offending behaviours and ongoing involvement in the criminal justice system.
Effective responses reflect the evidence about what works, respond to the child’s stage of development, circumstances and age, and provide the best opportunity to prevent harm from happening again.
With us, not against us: A systemic inquiry to learn from the experience of children who entered the criminal justice system before 14 was tabled in the Parliament of Victoria on 30 July 2026.
The inquiry sets out 15 recommendations about how systems can respond earlier, collectively and more effectively so Victoria can better support children, prevent future harm, and build stronger and safer communities. It calls for investment and changes to:
- strengthen prevention and early intervention approaches to address children’s needs before they become involved in the criminal justice system
- keep children under 14 out of the criminal justice system and deliver responses that are timely, evidence-based, therapeutic and right for their age and development
- improve outcomes for children and young people in youth justice custody by making it safer and more effective to reduce the likelihood of future offending.
Read the full report (PDF 3.4MB)
Read our summary document (PDF 134KB) | (DOC 114KB)
Liam's story
At the heart of With us, not against us are the experiences of children, and what happened in their lives before they entered the criminal justice system.
Many children experienced significant harm and disadvantage, including abuse, neglect, family violence, disrupted education and housing insecurity.
‘Liam’ was one of the children who contributed to the inquiry. He shared his story and what would have made a difference in his life in the hope of making things better for other children.
You are warned that the content in this animation may be distressing. We respectfully recommend that you take care as you watch.
Read Liam's full story (PDF 646KB)
Download our stakeholder kit (PDF 535KB) to share Liam's story and the report.