Crime prevention summit improves outcomes for Queensland youth

Minister for Police and Corrective Services and Minister for Fire and Emergency Services, Mark Ryan, Minister for Health and Ambulance Services and Member for Redcliffe, Yvette D’Ath, and Member for Bancroft, Chris Whiting, today joined Superintendent John Hallam to open a Queensland Police Service (QPS) summit focused on youth crime prevention in North Lakes.

The second annual summit focuses on prevention activities for youth crime in Queensland including the delivery of projects and discussion on emerging issues related to youth crime.

The program will cover issues including domestic violence in youth, knife crime and other matters that are known to lead to unfavourable outcomes for young people.

Leading the Summit is the QPS Local Drug Action Team (LDAT), which was established to tackle ongoing youth crime and drug issues in partnership with agencies such as Queensland Health, the Department of Education, Queensland Corrective Services, local councils, domestic violence prevention groups and other local community and cultural groups.

Superintendent John Hallam said the LDAT was established to address the ongoing issue of youth crime.

“We have established a project team, which partners with like-minded agencies to engage with local youth, and build rapport through weekly communication and activities,” Superintendent Hallam said.

“This summit is a chance for the agencies to come together and discuss these initiatives to look collectively at what’s working and what we can do better to address the issue of youth crime in our society.” 

Minister Ryan said the summit presented an important opportunity for experts to come together to address the root causes of youth crime.

“We recognise that it is important to intervene early with young people who are heading down the wrong path,” he said.

“We need to understand what causes these young people to start with dangerous behaviours involving drugs and anti-social behaviour.

“The diverse agencies represented at this summit all have a common goal and are united to ensure that young people are given every opportunity to make constructive choices that will provide them with further options to build a positive and productive life.”

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, Yvette D’Ath, said that the event was an important step to preventing youth crime.

“Community safety must come first, and I am committed to ensuring that we continue to work together with a range of agencies to address these complex issues,” the Minister said.

“We recognise the best way to tackle these issues with young people is to implement evidence-based policies, turn their lives around, stop re-offending and to build stronger communities.”

Member for Bancroft, Chris Whiting, commended the Police and local community organisations for working to reduce youth crime in North Lakes.

“We have so many dedicated and active community-based organisations in our area that want to make a difference to the lives of young people. 

“I’m here to support them as they work with our kids and help make our communities safer and better places,” he said.

Media contacts 

Minister Ryan’s Office: Ph: (07) 3035 8300

Police Media: Ph: (07) 3015 2444