Just days after the brutal killing of a North Lakes mother allegedly at the hands of two teenagers, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced new penalties for young offenders.
Major revisions to the Youth Justice Act mandate that courts examine young offenders’ bail and criminal backgrounds when sentencing them, and juveniles who brag about their crimes on social media face heavier punishments of up to 14 years in prison. Additionally courts must consider, bail history, criminal activity and track record in considering bail and sentencing.
Three days after North Lakes resident Emma Lovell was reportedly murdered at her home, Queensland’s premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced major changes to the state’s juvenile justice system on Thursday.
Dr. Terry Goldsworthy, a criminologist at Bond University and a former police investigator, said the news was better than nothing however minimum sentences would be for youth crimes would be better. Additionally if there were bail breaches then youth offenders should be no show cause, the offender should stay in custody and this could be achieved by the reintroduction breech of bail for youth offenders.
The reforms announced by the Premier will not come in to effect until Parliament resumes in February 2023.
Queensland’s Youth Justice Reforms
- Increasing the maximum penalty for stealing a car from 7 years to 10 years’ imprisonment
- A more severe penalty of 14 years if the offence is committed at night, where the offender uses violence or threatens violence, is armed or pretends to be armed, is in company or damages or threatens to damage any property
- Amend the Youth Justice Act requiring courts to take into account previous bail history, criminal activity and track record when sentencing
- Increased penalties for criminals who have boasted about these crimes on social media
- Extreme High Visibility Police Patrols
- A $9.89 million fast-track sentencing program in Brisbane, Townsville, Southport and Cairns so children spend less time on remand and more time serving their sentences
- The construction of two new youth detention centres
- A trial of engine immobilisers in Mt Isa, Cairns and Townsville
