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.
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