Despitecrime rates declining,Queenslandlocks up more children than any other Australian jurisdiction,with itsyouth prison pressures causing kids to be held forweeks in watch houses.
Brisbane Times asked the government this week whether it had carried out any modelling to gauge the scope of increased pressure it admits will be placed on the systembecause of the new laws.
In a written response,Ryan said only:“While the independent discretion of the courts needs to be noted,it is expected that the amendments on their own would lead to more offenders in custody for longer”.
Further clarity was not provided,with a government spokesperson saying he could not disclose what “may or may not” have been discussed in cabinet.
Ryan also said those changes could not be considered “in isolation”,with the government investing an extra $332 million in intervention,diversion and rehabilitation programs.
The laws include criminalising technical bail breaches by children,an expansion of a presumption against bail to new offences,and a scheme to make bail even harder for any young person declared a “serious repeat offender”.