hd_7.jpg (5890 bytes)

Youth Crime

Conservative & Labour Liberal Democrats
  The Lib Dems have a ten point plan to tackle youth crime:
  1. Local Crime Prevention Partnerships. Introduce a statutory duty for local authorities to draw up a crime prevention strategy which would include specific measures t o tackle youth crime.
  2. The Youth Service. The government to recognise the cost benefits of the Youth Service by co-ordinating and targeting their work towards those most likely to start offending.
  3. Offensive Weapons Ban. Make it a criminal offence to sell any offensive weapons to juveniles.
  4. Make Young Offenders Face Up To Their Crime. Introduce a programme which will bring young offenders into contact with their victims.
  5. Education. Guarantee of pre-school education for all 3-4 year olds (which statistics have shown has a significant effect upon juvenile crime rates) and provide the opportunity of at least two days a week training or education for all 16-19 year olds.
  6. A Citizens Service. Introduce a Citizens Service Organisation which will provide training and employment to many young people who are unemployed.
  7. Preventing Re-offending. Encourage business communities to take on an active role in rehabilitating young offenders and the provision of mentoring schemes by helping to provide work experience and training.
  8. Greater Investment in Drug Rehabilitation and Drug awareness education.
  9. Secure Accommodation.Ensure adequate secure accommodation for the most persistent young offenders, with the emphasis on rehabilitation and life on the outside.
  10. Community Service and Non-custodial Sentencing. Expansion when possible of community service and non-custodial sentencing with the emphasis on rehabilitation and training for life in the community.

 

Facts & Figures.

  • More than half of all crimes are committed by under 21's.
  • One third of burglaries are committed by under 16 year olds.
  • Youth crime costs Britain over £7 billion pounds a year.
  • The average age of the first offender has fallen to 13.5 years old and some 60% of all indictable offences are committed by people aged between 14 and 25. The increase of expulsion from schools and in truancy have directly contributed to rises in crime.

Related topics:

[ Up ] [ Alcohol ] [ Drugs ] [ Youth Crime ]