Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has reported early indications that the state’s new youth crime legislation is beginning to yield results, noting an approximate 8% drop in certain criminal activities such as car thefts and break-and-enters. However, the opposition has accused Crisafulli of failing to honour a pre-election promise to establish measurable, year-on-year targets for reducing crime victim numbers.
During a debate leading up to the elections, Crisafulli had committed to setting clear objectives for decreasing victimisation rates, stating, “We’ll be setting targets for fewer victims, year on year, and that is important to me.” Nonetheless, as of now, no specific targets have been disclosed by the government, leading to criticism regarding his commitment to transparency and accountability in crime reduction strategies. In response to inquiries about the desired targets, Crisafulli only said they aim to “go down.”
Opposition Leader Steven Miles pointed out Crisafulli’s reluctance to define concrete key performance indicators (KPIs) for his crime reduction ambitions, suggesting this undermines his credibility on the issue. The discussions regarding youth crime will continue in parliament this week, alongside debates on the funding for new hospitals, energy initiatives, and previous issues related to forensic lab inadequacies.
In the context of crime management, new legislation is expected to be introduced that would prevent the automatic destruction of 40,000 DNA samples before they can be further analysed. Attorney-General Deb Frecklington emphasised the importance of these measures, stating that they aim to improve the speed of access to justice for victims.
As the government navigates this complex issue of youth crime, the scrutiny from both the public and the opposition continues to mount regarding the effectiveness and accountability of their legislative approach.