Indigenous children make up 85 per cent of the young people refused bail under legislation introduced in NSW in March 2024, according to the Aboriginal Legal Service.
The laws make it more difficult for 14 to 18-year-olds to be released on serious charges while out on bail for similar offences.
In an Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT 'report card' 12 months on from their introduction, the laws were called a tool for "warehousing people in prison" instead of dealing with the issues that bring them into contact with police.
"All they do is compound the disadvantage and trauma experienced by the majority of young people who end up in contact with the system, and all but guarantee they will go on to cycles of adult imprisonment and more serious offending," chief executive Karly Warner told AAP.
Ms Warner said the laws had meant children were locked up for crimes that don't attract jail sentences and prevented from accessing therapeutic supports and culturally appropriate options such as Koori Court.
"If the NSW government wants to prevent crime, they need to invest in the supports and services that address the root causes of offending," she said.
The impact of tightening bail laws is not unique to NSW.
Harsher laws were introduced in the Northern Territory in late April, with presumption against bail applying to offences including assault with intent to steal and sexual offences.
Queensland's youth justice laws also include a presumption against bail for a number of offences.
In Victoria, an amendment to bail laws included removing the principle of remand as a last resort for children.
Justice Reform Initiative executive director Mindy Sotiri said more restrictive bail laws could result in more people coming into contact with the criminal justice system - often people outside the group the laws intended to target.
Dr Sotiri said governments must consider the measures that do work, rather than restrictive bail legislation, tougher penalties or mandatory sentencing.
"If any of that actually worked we would expect places like the Northern Territory and Queensland to be some of the safest in the world, because they've got some of the harshest laws," she said.
"But the reality is that isn't the case. It has no impact of crime."
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