Youth crime Qld: Offences triple in a decade as LNP vows to turn tide

A crime report to be released on Wednesday sheds light on the true scale of the youth crime crisis the LNP must tackle.

Premier David Crisafulli

The number of youth offenders charged with stealing cars and robbery has tripled in the past decade, damning new statistics have revealed.

The Queensland Crime Report 2023-24, which will be released by the state government on Wednesday, also found the number of youths charged with break-ins and assault had more than doubled since 2014.

And the most common age of an offender in Queensland was just 15, the shock report revealed.

A staggering 12,268 youths were charged in the past financial year alone.

But the law-and-order problem was widespread, with rape and attempted rape across all ages jumping by 92.2 per cent since 2014.

Armed robberies shot up 82.3 per cent and the number of stolen cars increased by 91 per cent in the past decade.

The report also revealed break-ins across all ages were up 28.3 per cent, arson was up 28.5 per cent and robbery increased by 100.9 per cent.

Total recorded offences in Queensland increased by 18 per cent.

Police Minister Dan Purdie said youth crime had grown out of control under the previous Labor state government.

“It will take time to turn the tide on a youth crime crisis a decade in the making under Labor,’’ he said.

“But with ‘adult crime, adult time’ (policies), more police, early intervention and rehabilitation we can start to make the change Queensland needs.

Police Minister Dan Purdie

“There is a big challenge ahead to fix Labor’s youth crime crisis, but the early police data suggests our stronger laws are beginning to deter youth crime.

“These shocking numbers are exactly why we are expanding ‘adult crime, adult time’ to start Making Queensland Safer, delivering exactly what we promised.”

However there was some good news amid the gloomy statistics.

Data released by the government earlier this week showed there had been an 8.2 per cent drop in the number of stolen cars reported and an 8.4 per cent reduction in break-ins between December 1 and February 28, compared to the same period the previous year.

On Tuesday the government announced its “adult crime, adult time” laws would be expanded to 33 offences.

Mr Purdie said ramming of police and emergency services vehicles would be included in the next list of offences to be tabled as part of the new laws.

Extra offences would also include arson, torture, kidnapping, trafficking in dangerous drugs, rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and attempted murder.

The laws were introduced after Premier David Crisafulli conceded at the start of the year that a 13-year-old boy charged with stabbing a Coles worker at Yamanto in Ipswich while she was on shift could not be tried under the tough new legislation.

“Labor can’t hide from how dire the youth crime crisis had become on their watch,’’ Mr Purdie said.

“This (report) exposes how crime was exploding and youth offenders multiplying for a decade.’’

BY THE NUMBERS

• Between 2014 and 2024 juveniles charged with stealing cars jumped from 2155 to more than 7000, and the number of juveniles charged with unlawful entry went from 5138 to 9658

• The Crime Report revealed the most common age of an offender in Queensland was 15 years old – comprising of 12,268 15-year-olds charged last financial year alone

• Some of the damning statistics across Queensland between 2014-15 to 2023-24 (rates calculated per 100,000):

• Recorded offences in Queensland increased 18 per cent

• Stolen vehicles increased 91 per cent

• Break-ins increased 28.3 per cent

• Rape and attempted rape increased 92.2 per cent

• Robbery increased 100.9 per cent

• Armed robbery increased 82.3 per cent

• Arson 28.5 per cent