Young people in contact with Queensland justice system 4.2 times more likely to die early, new research shows
By Stephen Clarke
By Molly Slattery
Topic:Academic Research
6m ago6 minutes agoTue 1 Apr 2025 at 1:46am
Barbed wire and a high fence, pictured against a sunset.
The new research analysed 48,670 young people who had contact with the youth justice system in Queensland between 1993 and 2017. (ABC News: Jake Sturmer)
Young people who come into contact with the justice system in Queensland are over four times more likely to die early, according to new research.
The Curtin University-led study examined 25 years worth of data, and almost 50,000 youth who had contact with the justice system between 1993 and 2017.
Lead researcher Professor Stuart Kinner said these young people were 4.2 times more likely than their "community peers to die prematurely", with suicide, traffic accidents and drug poisoning the most common causes.
"Most of these tragic deaths occurred before the age of 25,"
he said.
The peer-review study — published in The Lancet journal — found the more contact a young person had with the youth justice system, the worse the outcomes.
A man speaking at a lectern.
Professor Stuart Kinner said the outcomes were worse among those who had spent time in youth detention. (Supplied)
"The likelihood of premature death was 30 per cent higher for those who had been subjected to community detention, and 90 per cent higher for those who had spent time in youth detention," Professor Kinner said.
He said 98 per cent of those deaths had occurred in the community, not in custody.
Youth Advocacy Centre chief executive Katherine Hayes said the findings were "tragic" but "unsurprising".
Woman with short blonde hair wearing a black blazer.
Katherine Hayes described youth detention as "an absolute death sentence". (ABC News: Chris Gillette)
"We know it's an absolute death sentence going into youth detention," Ms Hayes said.
"With a lot of these kids it becomes like watching a car crash over a really long period of time, it's devastating."
Government expands harsher sentencing
The research comes as the "next wave" of Queensland's "adult crime, adult time" laws are set to be introduced to parliament.
The state government passed its first phase of the Making Queensland Safer legislation last year, which makes harsher penalties available to courts sentencing young people who have committed certain serious crimes, including murder and manslaughter.
The expanded legislation will include five additional criminal charges, informed by what Minister for Youth Justice Laura Gerber described as an "expert legal panel".
A politician wearing a suit and tie, speaking into microphones.
David Crisafulli has announced additional charges will be added to the Making Queensland Safer legislation. (ABC News)
Ms Hayes believes the state government needs to change its approach to youth crime.
"The political debate in Queensland has left no room for a discussion about the human cost of neglecting these kids," she said.
"We need to stop looking at how we can lock up kids who are heading down a path of destruction, and support them to get off that path instead."
Announcing his plan to broaden "adult crime, adult time" laws over the weekend, Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said the government would be considering early intervention and rehabilitation after prison.
Government data shows the average daily number of young people in Queensland detention has grown steadily over the past decade.
Professor Kinner said government and community agencies need to be working with young people to ensure they get the help needed upon release.
"Young people who have had contact with the youth justice system may have difficult family relationships and are at an increased risk of homelessness, mental illness, substance use disorder, and risk-taking behaviours, making them particularly vulnerable," Professor Kinner said.
Posted6m ago6 minutes agoTue 1 Apr 2025 at 1:46am
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