Queensland government expanding 'adult crime, adult time' laws despite low youth charges
Consensus Summary
Queensland’s government is expanding its controversial 'adult crime, adult time' laws to include 12 new offences, despite data showing no children have been charged with two of the proposed crimes since 2015. The legislation, which already allows life sentences for some non-violent offences committed by children, is justified by the government as necessary to address a 'youth crime crisis,' though critics argue the claims are exaggerated. Both sources agree that only a small fraction of youth offences fall under the proposed categories, with assault-related charges being the most common, and that the laws override human rights protections. The government cites a 7.2% drop in victim numbers since the laws’ introduction, contrasting with a 193% rise under the previous administration, while advocates argue the data does not support the need for such harsh measures. The parliamentary committee reviewing the bill must report by April 17, 2024, amid calls for an independent review of the laws’ effectiveness.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Queensland government is expanding its 'adult crime, adult time' laws to include 12 new offences in a third round of legislation, with the bill tabled in March 2024.
- No children have been charged with aiding suicide or stupefying to commit an indictable offence in Queensland since 2015, according to data from the Youth Justice Department.
- Only nine young people have been charged with four other proposed adult crime offences (disabling to commit indictable offence, conspiring to murder, administering poison with intent, abuse of persons with impairment of mind) since 2015, with 21 charged with rioting between 2015 and 2025.
- The most common offence charged to youth under the proposed laws is assault occasioning bodily harm (3,022 charges from 2015 to 2025), often linked to social media, armed status, or company.
- The government is overriding Queensland’s Human Rights Act to implement these laws, citing an 'exceptional crisis situation' related to youth crime.
- Youth Advocacy Centre CEO Katherine Hayes provided statistics showing many proposed offences are committed far more often by adults than children, with over 300 adult cases of stalking/intimidation compared to a handful by children.
- Youth offenders committed 12% of all offences in Queensland in the last year measured, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data.
- The legislation also includes powers for police to move homeless people from designated 'business and community precincts' for up to a month and repeals the state’s drug diversion program.
- Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber stated victim numbers have decreased by 7.2% since the introduction of 'adult crime, adult time' laws, contrasting with a 193% rise under the previous Labor government.
- The parliamentary committee must publish its report on the legislation by 17 April 2024.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The government’s secret panel for selecting offences did not release its advice during the committee process, instead publishing a document labeled as its 'final report' without the guidance.
- The previous tranche of adult crime legislation included six offences that had not been committed by children in the period covered, according to data published in 2023.
- The definition of a juvenile offender was changed in 2018 to include 17-year-olds, who were previously classified as adults, but this detail was not emphasized in ABC’s coverage.
- The Guardian explicitly notes that the government’s claim of a 'youth crime crisis' is 'simply untrue' based on data showing offences like stalking are committed 'dozens of times more often by adults than children'.
- The Guardian highlights that the government’s argument for overriding human rights is based on a 'current situation with respect to youth crime in Queensland presents an exceptional crisis situation', a phrasing not directly quoted in ABC.
- The ABC specifies that the data from the Youth Justice Department excludes instances where offences were dealt with outside the court system, which the Guardian does not mention.
- ABC notes that 100 juveniles appeared in court accused of choking in a domestic setting, while the Guardian does not provide this exact number.
- ABC highlights that 231 children were charged with indecent treatment of a child under 12 or with impairment of mind, a detail not included in the Guardian.
- ABC emphasizes that the government’s widened laws will also take into account when an offender attempts or conspires to commit an adult crime, adult time offence, a nuance not explicitly stated in the Guardian.
- ABC includes a direct quote from Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber stating 'police had been asking for stronger laws to help them make the state safer for years', which is not present in the Guardian.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian states the government’s 'final report' did not include the advice from the secret panel, while ABC does not explicitly confirm or deny whether the panel’s advice was ever released or omitted.
- The Guardian claims the government’s claim of a 'youth crime crisis' is 'simply untrue' and 'makes no sense', whereas ABC presents the government’s argument as justified by an 'exceptional crisis situation' without directly contradicting it.
- The Guardian mentions that the previous adult crime legislation included six offences not committed by children, but ABC does not provide this specific detail about prior rounds of legislation.
- The Guardian notes that the government’s data shows many offences are committed 'dozens of times more often by adults than children', while ABC does not quantify this disparity in the same way.
- The Guardian highlights that the government’s argument for overriding human rights is based on a 'current situation with respect to youth crime in Queensland presents an exceptional crisis situation', but ABC does not explicitly state this exact phrasing.
Source Articles
No children charged with Queensland’s new ‘adult crime, adult time’ offences in 11 years, government statistics show
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No children faced court on new 'adult crime, adult time' offences in past 11 years
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