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Making Queensland Safer (Adult Crime Adult Time) Amendment Bill 2025 - Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee - April 2025
Overview
The Salvation Army’s submission to the Queensland Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee in April 2025 addresses the proposed Making Queensland Safer (Adult Crime Adult Time) Amendment Bill 2025. Drawing on our extensive experience supporting children and young people, The Salvation Army opposes the Bill, arguing that it risks further harm to young people experiencing disadvantage, and undermines efforts toward rehabilitation. This submission advocates for justice responses to be compassionate, developmentally appropriate, and focused on prevention, early intervention and diversion, rather than punishment and incarceration.
Key Points
- Opposition to the Bill: The Salvation Army recommends that the Bill not be passed, citing concerns that it promotes punitive measures for children that mirror adult sentencing, which can be traumatising and counterproductive.
- Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility: The submission strongly supports raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 14 years, without exception. Children under 14 lack the cognitive capacity to assume criminal culpability and early justice system contact increases the risk of future offending.
- Holistic and Community-Led Approaches: The submission urges the Queensland Government to invest in community-led, trauma-informed, and strengths-based responses to youth crime. Responses must be focused on addressing the root causes, risk factors and drivers of crime and should prioritise early intervention, education, and diversion, leveraging existing youth service infrastructure.