A warning this next story contains the image of an Indigenous person who has died, used with the permission of his family. After the long-awaited coronial findings into the 2019 death of Aboriginal teenager Kumanjayi Walker were handed down this week the local community and advocates in the Northern Territory are grappling with how to prevent another tragedy. But in the years since the inquest began punitive approaches to young offending have increased in some jurisdictions and stakeholders are urging policy makers to change course.
00:00On the basketball court where a young Kuminjai walker would have played, kids enjoy a sunny day in Yundamu.
00:09As the dust settles on the coroner's report into the death of the 19-year-old in the youth justice space, the findings and recommendations are being examined closely.
00:21We've just clearly seen from this current coronial inquest that the deterrence and the rehabilitation doesn't work in prison, doesn't work in custody.
00:32In the years since the inquest began, the age of criminal responsibility has been lowered and bail for alleged young offenders reeled in.
00:41We are seeing this come, this sweeping across the country and Northern Territory at the moment is winning the race to the bottom.
00:49As the report notes, Kuminjai walker's early life was marred by repeated exposure to domestic violence, substance abuse and neglect.
00:57First charged with criminal offending at just 13 years old, his offending then worsened.
01:03After years in and out of custody, he disengaged from school and struggled with addiction.
01:08The Northern Territory's Children's Commissioner says Kuminjai's experience is one reflected time and time again among young offenders.
01:15Many of them are in care or well known to the child protection system.
01:19Many of them present with unmet disability, mental health and trauma needs.
01:23The coroner acknowledged it was beyond the scope of the inquest to make recommendations about youth detention centres.
01:30But she did note...
01:32It seems very clear that detention neither deterred nor rehabilitated Kuminjai.
01:38Kuminjai walker did attend several rehabilitation and diversion programs during his time outside detention, including one based in Yundamu, which has since been defunded.
01:49Those in the youth justice space hope the report will prompt new thinking by a Territory government going hard on young offenders.
01:57There's clearly a belief that they've got a mandate to be tougher on these young people.
02:01But as I said, the evidence goes against that.
02:04With further changes to the Territory's Youth Justice Act foreshadowed later this month, key stakeholders, including the Children's Commissioner, say they're yet to be consulted.
02:14While it's been described as a landmark inquest, the true impact of this coronial now rests in the hands of those with the power to implement change.
02:24The government did not confirm whether they would meet with stakeholders regarding the coroner's recommendations.
