Youth Justice Court of the Northern Territory
The Youth Justice Court of the Northern Territory is an Australian court which hears and determines cases concerning crimes committed by children under the age of 18 years in the Northern Territory. Colonial times. The treatment of juvenile offenders in the colonies of Australia, e.g. New South Wales, Van Diemen's Land, Victoria and Queensland reflected the system of criminal law inherited from England. There was nothing unusual in that as the law of Australia at that time was heavily influenced by the social norms of English society. As a result, children criminals  were treated no differently than adult criminals. They were liable to the same harsh penalties. The Judicial Commission of New South Wales cites an example of one English judge who, after condemning a 10-year-old boy to death, described the boy as “a proper subject for capital punishment”. The commission also noted that on one day in 1815, five children aged between eight and 12 years were hanged for petty larceny in England. Children's court began to be set up in Australia in the early 1900s. The Judicial Commission of New South Wales states the first court in  New South Wales was set up in the spirit of parens patriae, a jurisdiction that was exercised by the superior courts of the United Kingdom and, as a consequence, of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. Children's courts were set up in light of the widespread poverty and child neglect at that time. The courts had to assume the role of parent, protector and ultimate punisher. Current court. The present court is actually a continuation of the Juvenile Court of the Northern Territory constituted under the repealed Juvenile Justice Act 1983 (NT) under a different name. Extensive changes  were made to the criminal law relating to children following a discussion paper on a review of the Juvenile Justice Act publicly released in March 2004. The changes envisaged that the justice system would encourage children to be accountable for their behaviour, whilst at the same time balancing the interest of victims and the community. Certain guiding principles would help police and courts deal with offenders. These were: The following are general principles that must be taken into account in the administration of this Act: Composition. The court is composed of magistrates and youth magistrates. Every stipendiary magistrate of the  Magistrates Court of the Northern Territory is automatically a magistrate of the court. In addition, the Chief Magistrate of the Northern Territory may appoint magistrates as youth magistrates. In either case, both magistrates have jurisdiction to make orders in the court. Unlike other states and territories of Australia, there is no senior or children's magistrate. Jurisdiction. The court exercises criminal jurisdiction under the Youth Justice Act (NT).