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Is Jack’s Law achieving its stated aims?
In the year following the law’s implementation, it was reported that Jack’s Law had confiscated over 1,000 weapons from the streets of Queensland. Nevertheless, legal professionals question whether this legislation is effectively enhancing community safety.
Grace Robbie
Earlier this month, the Queensland government announced that Jack’s Laws had reached a “significant milestone” since the commencement of the trial, with 1,003 weapons, including knives, machetes, axes, and more, being discovered and confiscated from the streets of Queensland.
According to the Queensland government, 266 weapons have been located since Jack’s Law’s trial in the Gold Coast in April 2023, and 737 have been seized.
Passed on 31 March 2023, Jack’s Law granted Queensland law enforcement officers the authority to conduct random searches for knives and other weapons using handheld metal detectors.
The legislation was introduced in response to the heartbreaking death of 17-year-old Jack Beasley, who tragically lost his life after being fatally stabbed on the streets of Surfers Paradise in December 2019.
Following this devastating event, his parents, Brett and Belinda Beasley, have been unwavering advocates for the law and have played a crucial role in its successful implementation.
Under the law, police officers were authorised to conduct “stop and wand operations” without a warrant in all Safe Night Precincts and on all public transportation, including trains, buses, trams, and ferries, as well as at public transport hubs.
Since September 2024, Jack’s Law has broadened the jurisdiction to allow police officers to conduct “wanding” searches in a wider range of “high-risk public locations”, encompassing shopping centres, sports venues, licensed establishments, and entertainment facilities.
Acting Assistant Commissioner for Youth Crime Taskforce Andrew Massingham expressed that the Queensland police department has observed a noticeable impact from expanding Jack’s Law’s operations to new locations.
“The response from shop owners, businesses and stakeholders has been incredibly positive with a number of knives and other weapons seized in busy shopping centres, potentially preventing a tragedy,” Massingham said.
“To reach more than 1,000 dangerous weapons is an outstanding achievement and representative of our commitment to proactive efforts to disrupt knife crime and protect our communities.”
Belinda Beasley emphasised how proud she is to see Jack’s legacy live through this legislation “keeping communities safe”.
“Through the amazing work and efforts of QPS, they have taken 1,000 weapons out of public spaces, where they could have caused harm; this is an outstanding result, and we know it’s just the beginning,” she said.
“The Jack Beasley Foundation will continue working closely with police to prevent knife crime and continue the education of young people to prevent knife violence.”
Nick Dore, the managing principal for Fisher Dore and a member of the QLS criminal law committee, noted that while it may be premature to fully evaluate the impact of Jack’s Law on the criminal justice system, there has been a noticeable decrease in the incidence of knife violence.
“I believe it is still too early to tell if it has had a major impact on the criminal justice system; however, from my recent experience, I have certainly seen a decrease in knife violence with the matters I have been involved in,” he said.
“As with any new amendments like these, the ultimate continuing challenge will be ensuring there is an appropriate balancing act between public safety and an individual’s civil liberties.”
