Queensland pushes 12-month jail for serious crimes on bail despite expert
Queensland plans mandatory 12-month jail for serious crimes while on bail, but over 250 submissions warn it will backfire.
Queensland's government plans to force a mandatory 12-month prison sentence for anyone who commits a serious crime while on bail. It's the latest part of the LNP's adult crime, adult time policy.
The policy has already sent juveniles to adult prison for crimes including murder and rape. More than 250 expert submissions to parliament from police, lawyers and advocacy groups have slammed the plan.
Experts say it will expose more children to harsh conditions. They warn it will clog already full jails, worsen reoffending, and harm First Nations people.
The Youth Advocacy Centre says that jailing just one child under this rule costs 1 million dollars. It also makes communities less safe, not safer.
The government promises to pass it into law before the year ends.
Why it mattersMandatory jail terms remove judges' ability to consider individual cases, and experts fear costs and overcrowding will undermine public safety rather than improve it.
AustraliaIf passed by Queensland parliament, the law will affect how bail works across the state and reshape how courts and prisons handle young offenders.
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