New figures reveal Far North Queensland is at the frontline of the state’s push to tackle youth crime, with nearly 900 arrests and over 3,000 charges laid against young offenders in just three months.
As Queensland enters 2025 with a sharpened focus on community safety, the Far North has emerged as one of the most active regions in the statewide youth crime crackdown. According to newly released police data, between January and March this year, Far North officers arrested 898 youth offenders and laid a staggering 3,078 charges — the highest across all districts.
This intensified policing effort is part of a broader state strategy spearheaded by the Crisafulli Government to reverse what Premier David Crisafulli has called “a decade of despair” under previous administrations. At the heart of this effort is the State Flying Squad, a rapid-response police unit created with a $32.4 million commitment to support local officers and respond to crime hotspots across Queensland — including multiple deployments to the Far North.
Premier Crisafulli praised the results from the first quarter of 2025, stating, “It will take time to reverse Labor’s decade of despair from weak crime laws and a generation of youth criminals, but finally the tide is slowly turning.”
The crackdown has been supported by the rollout of Jack’s Law, which enables police to conduct more frequent weapon wanding.
In the first three months of 2025, more than 12,000 wandings were conducted across Queensland, leading to the seizure of 112 deadly weapons. This law is now being made permanent, with expanded police powers set to follow.
Far North in Focus:
- Youth arrests (Q1 2025): 898
- Youth charges (Q1 2025): 3,078
- Highest number of youth charges across all districts in Queensland
The deployment of the Flying Squad to Cairns and surrounding areas has allowed for both overt and covert operations, targeting the most problematic crime trends. Police Minister Dan Purdie said, “Armed with our Making Queensland Safer Laws, police have removed thousands of criminals from our streets in the first quarter of this year alone — and we are just getting started.”
Statewide, the early results are promising. Break-ins have dropped 12% and car thefts have declined by 9% compared to the same period last year — clear signs that the combination of tougher laws, increased police presence, and early intervention is beginning to make an impact.
As the Crisafulli Government continues to invest in frontline resources and long-term rehabilitation programs, all eyes are on regions like the Far North — where the community, local police, and government appear united in their determination to make streets safer.
