March 2025 – Youthlaw

Bail Saves Lives: Poccum’s Law is the Way Forward

March 17, 2025

This week the Victorian Government will table a Bill to amend provisions of the Bail Act 1977 and the Youth Justice Act 2024. The proposed amendments are being touted by the government as ‘Australia’s toughest bail laws’. The proposed reforms will have an incredibly harmful impact on vulnerable communities, especially Aboriginal women and children who are experiencing family violence.

Youthlaw statement on proposed bail reform laws

March 12, 2025

The Victorian government intention to introduce harsher bail laws is not smart or evidenced based. Stricter bail laws will not make the community safer. It will not reduce crime.

Many media outlets have been professionally irresponsible producing alarmist rand exaggerated reporting of youth crime.

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Youthlaw acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land on which we operate, the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong Peoples of the Kulin Nation. We extend this acknowledgement to all First Nations Peoples and pay our respects to their elders past and present and acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded.