There are serious concerns about the justice and effectiveness of Queensland's harsh new youth crime laws. 

The Queensland Government has passed legislation aimed at intensifying the penalties for youth offenders, drawing praise and condemnation.

The ‘Making Queensland Safer” laws, passed late last year, implement a strict “Adult Crime, Adult Time” framework for serious offences committed by kids as young as ten.

The reforms, spearheaded by Premier David Crisafulli and the LNP, are described as a decisive step to address what the government calls a “youth crime crisis”. 

Offenders can now receive the same penalties as adults for 13 serious offences, including murder, manslaughter, and grievous bodily harm. 

Critics, however, argue that these measures ignore evidence-based strategies and international human rights standards.

Premier Crisafulli says the laws reflect the demands of Queenslanders for stronger responses to crime. 

“These laws are for every Queenslander who has ever felt unsafe and been a victim of youth crime across our state,” he said. 

Attorney-General Deb Frecklington echoed these sentiments, saying; “Make no mistake, the holiday is over for young offenders, and if you commit an adult crime, you will face adult time”.

Under the new legislation, courts can now consider a youth offender’s complete criminal history when sentencing, and the “detention as a last resort” principle has been removed. 

The changes reduce the chance of leniency and disregard developmental differences between children and adults.

Although the Crisafulli government has labelled youth crime a crisis, data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Queensland Police Service indicates a long-term decline in youth crime over the past 14 years. 

This contradiction has fuelled scepticism among legal and human rights organisations, who describe the reforms as politically motivated rather than evidence-based.

The laws have faced strong pushback from groups like Amnesty International and the Human Rights Law Centre, which argue the measures disproportionately target Indigenous and disadvantaged children. 

Maggie Munn of the Human Rights Law Centre has called the reforms an “international embarrassment” and accused the government of perpetuating cycles of incarceration without addressing root causes like poverty and trauma.

Experts warn that the removal of restorative justice options and the inclusion of juvenile records in adult criminal histories could have unintended consequences. Some predict increased resistance to guilty pleas among young offenders, leading to longer trials and delays in the judicial process. Critics have also highlighted potential overcrowding in detention centres and extended stays in police watch houses due to limited capacity.

Queensland Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds has voiced concerns about the broader implications of the laws. 

“The younger a child comes into contact with the justice system, the more likely it is they will continue to commit more serious crimes,” she said. 

Her remarks align with global studies showing that punitive measures often exacerbate recidivism rates.

Despite criticism, the Crisafulli government remains firm in its stance. Alongside punitive measures, it has pledged funding for early intervention and rehabilitation. 

To ensure continuous evaluation of the legal framework, the government has invited applications for an Expert Legal Panel to advise on further reforms, with a focus on expanding offences included under the ‘Adult Crime, Adult Time’ policy.

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