The Queensland Police Service is launching a further crackdown on juvenile crime, targeting hard core youth criminals who repeatedly offend and put the community at risk.
In addition, the Department of Justice is to give courts more powers, allowing them to require the fitting of GPS Trackers.
In a joint statement a number of Ministers said The Youth Justice Act is to be amended to include a reference to the community being protected from recidivist youth offenders in the Charter of Youth Justice Principles.
They said the existing Common Law principle that offending whilst on bail was an aggravating circumstance when the court is imposing a sentence will also be enshrined in legislation.
Assistant Police Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon (pictured) is to lead a Youth Crime Taskforce to implement the new measures.
Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk also announced that former Police Commissioner, Bob Atkinson would report on the efficacy of the measures in six months.
Minister for Police, Mark Ryan said young offenders needed to learn the consequences of their actions.
“This is about targeting the hard core repeat offenders — those 10 per cent of youth offenders who are frequently putting the community at risk,” Mr Ryan said.
“We must stop young hard core offenders being let out on bail and reoffending the next day. That is why we are making these changes to bail laws.”
He said 10 per cent of all youth offenders accounted for 48 per cent of all youth crime.
“It is this group we will target with all the force and resources at our disposal,” the Minister said.
Attorney-General, Shannon Fentiman said it was anticipated that the necessary law changes would be introduced at this month’s sitting of the State Parliament.
