13 hours ago
Jump in teens held behind bars due to Vic bail laws
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The number of violent teenagers accused of serious crimes who have been refused bail has almost doubled since the Allan government introduced its tough new bail laws.
New data reveals that as of the start of this month, there were 92 young people on remand in Youth Justice in Victoria compared to the corresponding period last year when there were 46 – a massive 100 per cent increase.
The figures – released by the Department of Justice and Community Safety – also show that the number of adults on remand from the start of June was also up, with 2589 refused bail – a jump from 1980 in the same period in 2024.
The increase follows the Herald Sun's Suburbs Under Siege campaign which led to the Victorian government introducing the 'toughest bail laws in the country'.
Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny said the increase in people on remand proved the bail reforms were working.
'We have brought in tough new bail laws which are seeing an increase in serious alleged repeat offenders being remanded,' she said on Wednesday.
'These are the toughest bail laws in the country because we have listened to victims and the community.'
Ms Kilkenny said there were also more changes ahead, with new bail legislation to be introduced to parliament later this year.
The positive statistics come just days after the state government introduced new 'post and boast' laws.
The new legislation will make it an offence for bragging about crimes online, resulting in offenders being kept in jail for longer.
The spike in remands follows months of alarming crime rates in Victoria showing they had reached the highest on record, with police laying the blame for the growing crime wave on a group of hardcore teenage offenders.
It's been previously revealed that a gang of about 100 youth offenders are responsible for at least 30 crimes each in the past year – carrying out a total of more than 3000 separate reported offences.
The bail reforms passed in March made Victorian judges and magistrates put community safety first by beefing up sentences for repeat offenders who break bail.
The changes also included the reintroduction of 'committing an indictable offence while on bail'. Another offence of 'breaching bail conditions' will also come into play.
Both offences will add an extra three months of jail to any other sentence imposed for any crime committed.
It can also be revealed that the state has begun rolling out its new electronic-monitoring program.
Four youth offenders currently have monitors as part of two-year trial to ensure young people comply with their bail conditions.
