April 1, 2025
Juvenile crime rates in Queensland have been decreasing, even before the State Government’s “Adult Crime, Adult Time” laws have had time to bite.
Labor MP Margie Nightingale submitted a Question on Notice to Police Minister Dan Purdie in February seeking to compare arrest figures for juveniles in December 2023 and 2024; and January 2024 and 2025.
Minister Purdie’s reply late last month showed the total number of offences acted on by Queensland Police against juveniles aged 10-17 dropped from 2143 in December 2023 to 1667 in December 2024.
The State Government’s “Adult Crime, Adult Time” laws were passed in State Parliament on December 12.
The total number of assaults, robberies, sexual offences and other offences against the person rose from 223 to 243.
However, other offences declined significantly: unlawful use of motor vehicles fell from 480 in December 2023 to 267 in December 2024, unlawful entry offences dropped from 519 to 341 and drug offences fell from 73 to 43.
On Tuesday, the State Government said the number of break-ins, stolen cars, robberies and woundings had continued to drop between December 2024 and February this year.
