Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs “All the evidence from the UK would suggest that it will be making little or no difference to the sort of crimes that it’s meant to be dealing with – violent crime, assault.”QPS data shows more than 5000 authorisations were issued for wanding in the 2023 to 2024 period. Of those, 465 weapons were found.I think we need an evaluation of how it’s operating in these different areas … Is it a good use of resources?Janet Ransley, Griffith UniversityAmong almost 2500 charges laid during that period, just over 400 related to weapons offences, including 355 for possession of a knife in a public place or school. Almost 1400 charges related to drug offences.“It’s going to be used to put more and more people through the court system and potentially into overcrowded youth detention centres, which we’re building more of, or into overcrowded prisons, which we’re also building more of,” Cope said.“They should release the full details of all these charges.”The powers were originally put forward for use in safe night precincts and public transport hubs, but they now encompass shopping centres and sporting venues.Janet Ransley, who completed a review of the wanding trial on the Gold Coast for Griffith University in 2022, said there should also be an evaluation of how the expansion had worked at the other sites.“Safe night precincts do tend to have higher rates of violent crime, and they do tend to result in injuries, so there’s an argument for having this kind of strategy in those places,” Ransley said.LoadingBut she said major concerns remained over how officers were determining which people to scan, and whether it was based on real intelligence or stereotypes.Ransley said searches of children could also undermine their long-term trust in police and the law.“Obviously, it’s more that kid who feels they’re being picked out, that they’re being targeted and that it’s unfair, particularly, I suspect, if they belong to some kind of racial or cultural minority where that’s not an uncommon experience,” she said.Police Minister Dan Purdie did not answer questions about whether there would be any further review of Jack’s Law.“The laws have already seen almost 1000 weapons seized that could have been used to hurt or kill someone, and there is no doubt making the laws permanent will save lives,” he said.Start the day with a summary of the most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
