Description

The Queensland Government is committed to keeping Queenslanders safe. As part of a comprehensive whole-of-government approach—including the Community Safety Plan released on 30 April 2024 and the new Putting Queensland Kids First Plan released on 22 January 2024—the government has introduced the A Safer Queensland – Queensland Youth Justice Strategy 2024–2028 (PDF, 5.3MB) .

The strategy aligns with evidence and research, recommendations from the Youth Justice Reform Select Committee Interim Report (PDF, 3.5MB) and the Queensland Audit Office report, Reducing serious youth crime, and serves as a foundation for collaboration among government, businesses, and communities.

By addressing the diverse needs of young individuals and families, the strategy takes a holistic approach emphasising 3 core areas:

prevention
intervention
detention.

The strategy focuses on children, offering wraparound preventative and intervention services to prevent their involvement in the criminal justice system. Detention remains an option when necessary, contributing to community confidence and safety.

Guided by ongoing evaluation and new evidence, the Department of Youth Justice will adapt its approach – if programs or services prove ineffective, they will be discontinued. Importantly, the strategy recognises that the youth justice system and the needs of young people and victims cannot be neatly compartmentalised. The strategy is just one part of an overall state government approach to better coordinate efforts to improve the lives of all Queensland children.