Youth crime crackdown comes with expert warnings
Police news
More Far North Queensland youth are being arrested for crimes this year, according to new police data, and more will likely soon be able to be tried as adults due to further state law changes on the way.
But experts say there is not enough detention-centre space to detain them, or programs to help rehabilitate them, which is likely to lead to longer-term crime increases if not properly addressed.
The State Government this week released a statement that it was “continuing its efforts to restore safety” to Queensland by deploying the new State Flying Squad rapid response unit across the state, including in Far North Queensland, and seizing more than 100 weapons under new laws allowing on-the-spot metal-detector searches without a warrant - known as Jack’s Law.
Deputy Police Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon said during a recent press conference the squad is likely to be making about 500 charges against about 200 people in the Cairns region.
And about 12,000 police metal-detector “wand” searches were done across the state between January and March, with more than 4200 youth arrests and more than 18,000 youth offenders charged.
“During the first quarter of 2025, break-ins were down 12 per cent on the previous year and stolen cars down 9 per cent on the previous year,” the Government stated.
Premier David Crisafulli said his team had been delivering its promised police crackdown through measures such as making laws stronger.
And those laws are expected to be further beefed up this month, with the new Making Queensland Safer (Adult Crime, Adult Time) Amendment Bill set to be introduced to the State Parliament, which aims to override the Human Rights Act to include up to 20 more crimes where youth can be tried as adults.
But experts are warning that throwing more 10-17-year-olds in already overcrowded jails and youth detention centres will only lead to increases in crime and the creation of more hardened criminals down the track.
Former Queensland prison head Keith Hamburger, who has been in Cairns this week for a crime forum, said the recidivism rate was “awful” under the current system, and there needed to be a revolutionary new model introduced for youth detention to help stop creating more offending.
Statistics show Queensland already has more children in custody than ever before, and the state locks up more children than any other state and territory, which is costing Queenslanders millions of tax dollars year on year.
According to a report last year by former Auditor-General Brendan Worrall, most young offenders only commit a small number of offences and are diverted away from the youth justice system, with a small proportion going on to commit serious offences.
But those at-risk children who are in detention are not always getting the rehabilitation or education they need to address their offending behaviour with early intervention.
“This is partly due to Queensland’s youth detention centres often being locked down because of staff shortages, safety incidents, and other factors,” Mr Worrall said.
This has led to serious problems in these centres, including extensive overcrowding and the overuse of solitary confinement.
The Queensland Family and Child Commission warns, once children enter this detention system environment, they are more likely to become repeat offenders.
And Youth Advocacy Centre chief executive Katherine Hayes has also said this type of approach risks making children worse offenders in the longer term.
“You cannot arrest or incarcerate your way out of a youth crime problem,” she said late last year.
The State Government Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee held a public hearing in Cairns this week about the new Making Queensland Safer (Adult Crime, Adult Time) Amendment Bill set to be introduced to State Parliament this month.
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