Qld boot camp trials to be scrapped

Queensland's youth boot camp trials are to be scrapped by Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath after a scathing report slammed their cost and effectiveness.

The cost of the program, announced by former attorney-general Jarrod Bleijie in 2012 to be $4.9 million, has ended up blowing out to $16.7 million over three years, according to a report by auditor KPMG.

The fresh criticism follows an auditor-general's report that placed the inflated cost at $12.3 million in April.

The auditor-general identified poor planning and a lack of transparency.

But the KPMG report was even more damning, Ms D'Ath told a budget estimates hearing on Thursday.

"It found the program was hastily set up and the program was not supported by appropriate research," she said.

Ms D'Ath said recidivism rates among participants were no different to the rates among young people who were placed in other areas, such as youth detention centres.

"In short, it was an expensive failure cooked up by an attorney-general who measured success by the amount of media interest he generated," Ms D'Ath said.

The remaining trial contracts expired in October and would not be renewed, Ms D'Ath announced.

Arrangements are being made to transfer the young offenders who remain in the program elsewhere.