LNP Townsville Curfew Proposal
MEDIA RELEASE
PROPOSED TOWNSVILLE QUARANTINE
The QCCL condemns the latest bid in the law and order auction that is going on in this election, namely the announcement by the opposition that it will introduce a curfew for young people in Townsville.
QCCL President Mr Cope said, “The introduction of a curfew would be a cheap political stunt. There is no evidence that curfews work. What is required is the hard work of analysing the extent of crime in Townsville, the reasons for it and the best way to deal with it.”
“A curfew is no solution to any crime problem in Townsville. Curfews discriminate against young people. All young people are treated as criminals, whether they are guilty or innocent.”
The broad nature of a curfew is open to abuse. It will inevitably be used disproportionately against indigenous and other disadvantaged groups.
Between 1978 and 1997 curfews were employed in some Californian counties and not in others. Research conducted afterwards showed that there was no difference in the crime rate between those counties that had curfews and those that did not .
The proposal to fine parents whose children breach the curfew is equally absurd. No parent has complete control over their children. It is a breach of the fundamental principle of criminal law to make someone liable for the conduct of a third party, except when they counsel or facilitate it.
Any police response to crime in Townsville should involve arresting people who have actually committed an offence. It must not involve what could be described as a form of collective punishment, by the house detention of all people under the age of 18.
“The question that must be asked” said Mr Cope, “is whether or not this is a sensible use of police resources. Is it justifiable to employ police resources detaining people and prosecuting them for breaching the curfew? Has Ms Frecklington asked the police commissioner her opinion as to whether the curfew is likely to be of assistance to police?
American studies would indicate that a better use of resources would be after-school programs that may have much greater potential to reduce serious juvenile crime.
22 November 2020