A former corrective services boss hopes to throw law and order on its head in a radical approach to tackling youth crime in Queensland. 

The state government recently announced new policies to crack down on youth offenders in the wake of the murder of North Lakes mother Emma Lovell.

But Keith Hamburger, who was formerly the director-general of Queensland’s Corrective Services Commission, says they won’t go far enough to address youth crime.

“The current approach basically is not working,” he told Dan Nolan on 4BC Summer Drive. “There’s a tremendous progression rate from the current youth detention centres into adult prisons.

“What we’ve got at the moment is not effective, it’s very ineffective, it’s very costly, and in fact, it generates more criminals.”

During his time in charge, Mr Hamburger managed to cut the reoffending rate and close two jails.

Now, he wants to see juvenile detention replaced with tiered “healing and rehabilitation” centres.

Press PLAY below to hear how the system would work 

Image: Getty