December 8th 2024.
Queensland's government is taking action to tackle youth crime, as statistics have revealed the hotspots for repeat youth offenders. Premier David Crisafulli has announced plans to pass the Making Queensland Safer laws, which aim to introduce harsher sentencing for young offenders. This is just one step in the government's efforts to combat crime, with more measures likely to come in the future. However, the Liberal National Party's opponents, Labor, have criticized the rushed nature of these changes.
Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber has spoken out about the severity of the issue, stating that communities all across Queensland are under siege. She also shared data that shows where the state's 400 most prolific repeat youth offenders are located. The Far North region tops the list with 78 offenders, closely followed by Townsville with 68. Logan and South Brisbane also have high numbers, with 46 and 39 repeat offenders respectively. Gerber also highlighted the alarming 58% increase in serious youth offenders over the past five years.
The statistics also reveal the areas where young criminals are most active. South Brisbane, in particular, has seen over 7500 reported offences from January to November this year. The Far North region also features again with just under 7000 offences, followed by North Brisbane with 5700 and the Gold Coast with 5000. These figures have been released as the government prepares to pass its Adult Crime, Adult Time laws, which will result in longer sentences for children convicted of the most serious crimes.
Despite a recent Parliamentary Committee finding that parts of the laws are not in line with the Human Rights Act, the government is determined to push them through. Premier Crisafulli has vowed that they will not enter the Christmas season with the same weak youth justice laws in place. The changes are set to be passed on Thursday. However, the Making Queensland Safer laws have faced opposition from legal and child safety experts, who believe they will lead to overcrowding in detention facilities and slow down the justice system. In response, the Labor opposition has stated that the laws were rushed and complex, with stakeholders given less than three weeks to fully understand their implications.
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