Queensland crime victim numbers fall amid new law reforms

Queensland crime victim numbers fell by approximately 4 per cent in 2025, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The reduction represents about 12,000 fewer victims compared to the previous year. Specific declines were noted in robbery (13 per cent), assault (4 per cent), sexual assault (2 per cent), and motor vehicle theft (2 per cent).

These figures follow the implementation of landmark law reforms, including Jack's Law, which permits police to use handheld metal detectors in public spaces without a warrant. Under this legislation, officers scanned 198,469 people across the state, resulting in the seizure of 1,439 weapons and 2,934 charges. The law was named in memory of Jack Beasley, a teenager fatally stabbed in 2019.

The state government has also introduced “adult crime, adult time” sentencing reforms, allowing youth offenders as young as 10 to face mandatory life sentences for serious crimes like murder. While Attorney-General Deb Frecklington attributed the falling victim numbers to these tough-on-crime policies, opposition leaders have questioned the data's accuracy, suggesting changes in how domestic and family violence is recorded may influence the results.