MEDIA STATEMENT: Young criminals arrested during crime crackdown to start the year

Published Yesterday at 01:45 PM

JOINT STATEMENT

Premier and Minister for Veterans
The Honourable David Crisafulli

Minister for Police and Emergency Services
The Honourable Dan Purdie

Young criminals arrested during crime crackdown to start the year

  • New police data shows police made more than 4,200 youth arrests and laid more than 18,000 charges on youth offenders during the first quarter of 2025.
  • As the Government works to restore safety to Queensland communities, the State Flying Squad has been deployed to youth crime hotspots 22 times in the first three months of the year.
  • Police also seized more than 100 deadly weapons as part of Jack’s Law, with more than 12,000 wandings from January to the end of March.

The Crisafulli Government is continuing its efforts to restore safety to Queensland, with more than 20 deployments of the State Flying Squad into crime hotspots in the first three months of the year.

A quarterly snapshot of police efforts to turn the tide on youth crime reveals Police made more than 4,235 arrests of youth in the first three months of the year, laying 18,028 charges.

112 deadly weapons were seized as part of Jack’s Law in January to March, through 12,378 wandings.

Police statistics also reveal during the first quarter of 2025, break-ins were down 12% on the previous year and stolen cars down 9% on the previous year.

The Crisafulli Government introduced significant amendments in Parliament last month to make Jack’s Law permanent and expand police wanding powers.

The Crisafulli LNP Government committed $32.4 million in funding over five years to the new State Flying Squad – making it the largest rapid response unit in Queensland Police history.

Since being established by the Crisafulli Government, the State Flying Squad has deployed to Ipswich, Gladstone, Townsville, Acacia Ridge, Murgon, Redcliffe, Boondall, Maryborough, Rockhampton, Toowoomba, Saint George, Dutton Park, Goondiwindi, Logan, Mount Isa and Cairns, in both overt and covert operations to tackle crime.

Premier David Crisafulli said Queenslanders had been crying out for a police crackdown, and the Government was delivering.

“It will take time to reverse Labor’s decade of despair from weak crime laws and a generation of youth criminals, but finally the tide is slowly turning,” Premier Crisafulli said.

“Stronger laws, more police, early intervention and rehabilitation are all part of the fresh start for a safer Queensland.” 

Minister for Police and Emergency Services Dan Purdie said the Crisafulli Government was delivering on its commitment to restore safety where you live.

“Queenslanders deserve safety and police deserve support, and we are delivering on both to turn the tide on Labor’s Youth Crime Crisis,” Minister Purdie said.

“Labor’s weak laws and failure to support frontline officers allowed crime to soar, but the Crisafulli Government is turning that around by backing our police.

“Armed with our Making Queensland Safer Laws, police have removed thousands of criminals from our streets in the first quarter of this year alone, and we are just getting started.”

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT: Rosie Barrett 0487 799 649

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Number youth charged by district and youth arrests by district, Queensland, 01 January 2025 to 31 March 2025.

District

Youth charges (Q1)

Youth arrests (Q1)

North Brisbane

1,490

380

South Brisbane

2,063

526

Capricornia

795

195

Mackay Whitsunday

410

59

Far North

3,078

898

Moreton

819

198

Sunshine Coast

1,111

173

Wide Bay Burnett

653

113

Mount Isa

727

158

Townsville

2,109

464

Gold Coast

1,594

321

Logan

880

182

Darling Downs

1,121

283

Ipswich

857

221

South West

318

63

Other

3

1

Queensland

18,028

4,235