State government data reveals how many teens fitted with GPS trackers

It’s been about two years since GPS trackers were brought in for some youth offenders. Here’s how many have been fitted.

GPS monitoring bracelets have been put on just three Townsville teens in the first two years of the program in Queensland.

A trial attaching the devices to youths began in certain areas in April 2021.

Police Minister Mark Ryan told parliament in April that three devices had been fitted in Townsville, four in the North Brisbane/Moreton Region and seven in the Logan/Gold Coast Region trial area.

In March parliament extended the trial by two years to 2025 and lowered the age of teenagers who could be fitted with a device to 15 years old.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said while “homes, businesses and cars are being broken into every day”, repeat youth offenders disregarded the law, Mr Crisafulli said.

In a two-year trial to April 2023, 14 GPS trackers were fitted to youths in Townsville, the North Brisbane/Moreton Region and the Logan/Gold Coast Region.

Shadow Police Minister and Burdekin MP Dale Last said “these figures are a cop out to Queenslanders and victims of crime”.

“ … is it any wonder we’re living through a youth crime crisis,” Mr Last said.

The devices are monitored by Queensland Corrective Services.

When the trial was announced, Minister Ryan said putting a monitoring device on teenagers was “another tool to target the small minority that commit the majority of offences”.

Originally published as State government data reveals how many teens fitted with GPS trackers