The 1997 ALRC report Seen and Heard made which main recommendations?

• A. It recommended harsher penalties for youth
• B. It proposed replacing youth justice with adult courts
• C. It recommended eliminating youth justice conferences
• D. It recommended standardised minimum age and standardised juvenile arrest, bail, sentencing and detention to align with CROC (not yet achieved)

Answer: (D)

The main idea being tested is the push for a rights-based, consistent approach to how youths are treated in the justice system. The Seen and Heard report advocated aligning Australia’s youth justice practices with international standards by standardising the minimum age of criminal responsibility and the procedures for arrest, bail, sentencing, and detention for young people, so they conform to the obligations of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This emphasis on standardisation and alignment reflects a shift toward protecting children’s rights and ensuring fair, age-appropriate treatment, rather than toward harsher punishment, moving all youths into adult courts, or eliminating youth justice conferences. The note that this alignment has not yet been achieved highlights ongoing gaps between the recommendation and practice.