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Call for Submissions

The Committee is seeking submissions from the public and stakeholders and invites written submissions addressing the terms of reference.  In particular the Committee is keen to hear your thoughts on any or all of the various aspects of the inquiry such as:

• whether you have observed particular trends and type of criminal activity occurring in your particular region or across the State more generally;
• what you consider to be the key social and economic contributors to crime;
• how criminal activity has impacted you, or your community, directly or indirectly, including the social and economic impacts to families, businesses or the community at large;
• the effectiveness (including the cost effectiveness) of crime prevention strategies such as:

1. Imprisonment;
2. justice reinvestment;  
3. early intervention; and
4. alternative dispute resolution.

• whether you consider other models in national and international jurisdictions could be implemented in Queensland and whether you consider they would be more effective;
• experiences or observations of the Queensland criminal justice system, including experiences from victims of sexual violence and/or domestic violence;
• your interactions with the Queensland Police Service, the courts, prosecuting authorities, legal and support services and compensation processes; and
• possible strategies to increase collaboration and co-operation between various participants in the criminal justice system.

The closing date for submissions was set at Friday, 18 July 2014.  Submissions are now closed.

Guidelines on how to make a submission are available here.

Public Hearings

In accordance with the terms of reference, the Committee held a range of public and private hearings across the State.  The Committee resolved to hold the following hearings. 

Referral

The inquiry was referred to the Committee by the Legislative Assembly on 22 May 2014.  The terms of reference (below) require the Committee to report to the Legislative Assembly by 31 October 2014.

On 16 October 2014 the Legislative Assembly extended the reporting date for the inquiry to 28 November 2014.

Report

On 28 November 2014, the Committee tabled its Report No. 82, Inquiry on strategies to prevent and reduce criminal activity in Queensland.  A copy of the report is available here or can be accessed at Related Publications.

On 27 February 2015, the Government tabled its interim response to the Report. A copy of the response is available here or can be accessed at Related Publications.

On 28 May 2015, the Government tabled its final response to the Report. A copy of the response is available here or can be accessed at Related Publications.

Terms of Reference

That the Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee conduct an inquiry on strategies to prevent and reduce criminal activity, by examining:

• the trends and type of criminal activity in Queensland, having regard to available crime statistics and issues in relation to unreported crime; 
• the social and economic contributors to crime;
• the impacts of this criminal activity on the community and individuals, including the social and economic impacts;
• the effectiveness (including the cost effectiveness) of crime prevention strategies, including imprisonment, justice reinvestment, early intervention, alternative dispute resolution, and other models used in national and international jurisdictions; and
• the experiences of Queenslanders with regard to the criminal justice system, including the experiences of victims of sexual violence and/or domestic violence including their interactions with the Queensland Police Service, the courts, prosecuting authorities, legal and support services and compensation processes.
• possible strategies to increase collaboration and co-operation between various participants in the criminal justice system.

Further, the Committee is to recommend measures to curb criminal activity, reduce rates of recidivism, and build a safer community.

In undertaking the inquiry the Committee is to:

• hold public and private hearings across Queensland;
• ensure such hearings include an examination of available crime statistics for the relevant area or region; and
• take public and private submissions. 

Further, that the Committee report by 31 October 2014