Tough Bail Laws Push Kids to Plead Guilty

0:00It's April 15th. This is Sydney News today, powered by AI. Lawyers are sounding the alarm at a new South Wales Parliament inquiry on youth justice. They say tougher bail laws are pushing kids to plead guilty to crimes they might not have done, just to dodge more time behind bars. These rules hid in 2024 and got extended last March. Now children face higher chances of bail denial, landing them in custody for weeks or months before court, even when charges later get dropped for, lack of evidence. Experts like James Clifford from the Aboriginal Legal Service call it common to see young ones locked up, then cleared. Jane Sanders from shopfront Youth Legal Center slams the setup as a twisted push toward quick guilty pleas, exposing kids to the system way longer than needed. The government defends it, saying judges need strong assurance kids won't reoffend. The lawyers push back, noting many youth have cognitive challenges that make detention useless for deterrence or rehab.

1:00Early intervention programs show real promise, with one boasting 100% success in stopping reoffence and getting kids back to school, or work. As this inquiry rolls on, the call grows for smarter policies over knee-jerk lockups.