PUBLICATION
Criminal Law in QLD
Published by the Queensland Government
In Queensland, there are 2 types of criminal offences ,simple offences (or summary offences). These include disorderly behaviour, traffic offences and minor criminal offences. Crimes and misdemeanours (or indictable offences). These include murder, rape, robbery, assault, and break and enter.
The criminal justice system is designed to protect members of the community and their property. It is also designed to deal appropriately with people who do not obey the law. The main role of the criminal justice system is to determine whether a person’s actions or behaviour form a criminal offence.
The criminal justice system is divided into three separate sections. These include the investigative process, which involves investigations by State or Federal Police ; the adjudicative process, where a case is taken before the courts to be heard and a penalty is imposed; and the correctional stage, where an offender completes a term of community service or serves his or her sentence in prison or some other correctional system.
This section of the website contains some of the many legal articles covering all manner of criminal offences, 'white collar' offences and traffic offences in QLD. Other offences that are not listed in this section can be discussed with your criminal lawyer.
In Queensland, the majority of criminal laws have been codified in the Criminal Code (1899). The Criminal Code covers a range of offences relating to violence, sex offences, property, fraud, arson, corruption, breaches of the peace and others. It also contains procedural rules and practices.
Further offences are contained in other pieces of legislation, for example, the Weapons Act, Drugs Misuse Act, Traffic Act, Bail Act, Criminal Proceeds Confiscations Act and the Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act.
In addition, a great number of other legislative enactments create criminal offences for specific offences or serious breaches of statutory duties. Some examples are listed below:
Bail Act 1980
Forensic Disability Act 2011
Corrective Services Act 2006
Justices Act 1886
Criminal Code Act 1899
Peace and Good Behaviour Act 1982
Criminal Law (Rehabilitation of Offenders) Act 1986
Police Service Administration Act 1990
Criminal Organisation Act 2009
Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000
Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1978
Prostitution Act 1999
Summary Offences Act 2005
Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act 1989
Transport Operations Act 1995
Drug Court Act 2000
Victims of Crime Assistance Act 2009
Drugs Misuse Act 1986
Weapons Act 1990
Evidence Act 1977
Youth Justice Act 1992
Regulatory Offences Act 1985