The democratically-elected Aboriginal body responsible for negotiating a treaty with the Victorian state government has called for the age of criminal responsibility to rise from 10 to 14 years of age in the Australian state. First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria co-chairs Marcus Stewart, and Geraldine Atkinson wrote an open letter to the Victorian attorney-general calling for the change in legislation to come before a treaty. “This does not need to, nor should it, wait for Treaty. It is a much needed, sensible, compassionate, evidence-based and simple reform that community overwhelmingly supports,” the letter stated (pdf). Stewart and Atkinson said children younger than 14 years old could not fully understand the risks and consequences of their actions and called for the justice system to acknowledge that. “[Ten] year old kids should be able to share Christmas with their families at home. We’re sick of seeing our kids ripped away from their communities, only …