A petition calls for a night curfew on children aged 10 to 16 in order to prevent youth crime.  
A petition calls for a night curfew on children aged 10 to 16 in order to prevent youth crime. Photo: Jason South

Juveniles could be made to adhere to “street curfews” as part of the government's youth justice reforms.
Welcome to Queensland. The land that wants you to be obedient, not free.
Nearly 4000 north Queensland residents, referencing “growing concern –as distinct from factual evidence– regarding juvenile criminal activities”, have petitioned Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie to ban 10 to 16-year-old walking the streets between 11pm and 5am unless they are with an adult. 
If petitions are so powerful, why don't we make some ourselves?
“By doing so, this would hopefully stop the number of juveniles roaming around suburban streets and involving themselves in criminal activity,” the petition, sponsored by LNP MP David Crisafulli, read.
So it isn't a community effort @ all. Rather, it is a political party disguising itself as a community action. This is why the idea is receiving respect from the media.
Why did this politician not introduce this idea into the house as a bill? Because they are trying to run a Hegelian dialectic, whereby they want it too look like the community demanded that teenagers have their rights curtailed.
In his response, Mr Bleijie said curfews were among a “wide variety of ideas and strategies” being considered for the government's youth justice "blueprint".
Currently, curfews can be set by the courts when establishing bail conditions, or as part of a youth justice order.
YET, This assault on teenage freedom is not enough for the Liberal and National Party.
But Lance Mergard, senior chaplain with Chaplain Watch, a group which “watches out for anyone in crisis, at risk or in need” in Brisbane's streets, called for “constraint”.
“Some of the reasons kids are on the streets is because home life is not the best and being out is safer than being in,” he said.
“I get a little worried about adult citizens in our society that want total perfection, forgetting what their teenage existence was like, and I hope it [any resulting policy] is considered with measured due consideration.
“I can see possibly, some value, but then I can see it could go quite awry.
"Once again Queensland needs to be careful it doesn't become a police state.
"We seem to lurch from total laissez faire to the other side. We don't seem to be able to walk that comfortable middle road."
Youth crime rates hit the headlines recently after the release of government reforms to the Youth Justice Act.
The overall number of youths before the courts has consistently dropped in recent years, however the number of offences committed by juveniles has increased.
The government response to this, led by Mr Bleijie, has been to shake up youth justice with proposals that include naming repeat offenders, creating a separate offence for those who offend while on bail, the automatic transfer of youth to adult prisons when they turn 17 and allowing juvenile records to be available in adult courts.
The proposals have drawn ire from stakeholders, including the Queensland Law Society, who have pushed for rehabilitation over incarceration, but Mr Bleijie said he is committed to change.
“It will transform the youth justice system to one that leads the nation, is supported by our community, and holds young offenders,” Mr Bleijie said in response to the north Queensland petition.