Victorian Current Acts Victorian Current Acts(1) The main purposes of this Act are—
(a) to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 10 years of age to 12 years of age; and
(b) to provide for police powers in relation to children under the minimum age of criminal responsibility who are 10 or 11 years of age; and
(c) to provide for the procedures and other matters relevant to the Criminal Division of the Children's Court as the specialist division dealing with criminal matters relating to children; and
(d) to ensure robust oversight and accountability of the youth justice system to—
(i) promote community safety; and
(ii) prevent and reduce offending by children and young persons; and
(iii) support the rehabilitation and positive development of children and young persons involved in the youth justice system; and
(iv) provide victims with appropriate opportunities to participate in the youth justice process; and
(v) protect the rights of children and young persons involved in the youth justice system; and
(e) to establish a scheme that provides alternative processes to a court proceeding for dealing with children who are alleged to have committed offences, including the use of—
(i) youth warnings and youth cautions; and
(ii) early diversion group conferences; and
(iii) court ordered diversion from criminal proceedings; and
(f) to make provision in relation to—
(i) children who have been charged with offences; and
(ii) children and young persons who have been found guilty of, offences.
(2) The other purposes of this Act are—
(a) to repeal certain provisions from the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 and reform and re-enact those provisions in this Act; and
(b) to amend the Bail Act 1977 , including by providing for the trial of a scheme under which, in certain circumstances, certain courts may grant bail to a child subject to conditions that provide for electronic monitoring of the child; and
(c) to set out transitional provisions; and
(d) to make consequential amendments to other Acts.