A million kids convicted as youth crime wave soars in 10 years
A MILLION kids have been convicted of criminal offences and another million cautioned in the past 12 years, according to latest Government figures. The data shows 130,000 youngsters aged 10 to 17 in London alone have been convicted, equal to 35 youths having their collar felt every day for a decade
A MILLION kids have been convicted of criminal offences and another million cautioned in the past 12 years, according to latest Government figures.
The data from an answer to a Parliamentary Question shows 130,000 youngsters aged 10 to 17 in London alone have been convicted in 10 years, equal to 35 youths having their collar felt every day for a decade.
The figures show a 26 per cent rise in London youth convictions between 1997 and 2007, with the number of under-13s getting criminal records almost tripled.
Under-16s in London were convicted almost 5,000 times in 2007 alone, twice the number in 1997, while convicted young adults 18 to 21 rose by almost a third in 10 years to 30,000.
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The figures were obtained by Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg who is visiting the Times amateur boxing club in Islington today (Thursday), to see how a community scheme to divert youngsters from crime works.
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“These shocking figures show how a generation of children has been criminalised,” he said.
“It is a disgrace that the Labour government spends 11 times more locking up young people than it does on backing projects to stop them getting involved in crime in the first place.”
Lib Dems are using the statistics to launch a new approach to youth justice,’ tackling potential offenders before they enter the criminal justice system.
Community Justice’ panels should be set up in high crime areas like East London to draw up what they call Positive Behaviour’ orders requiring minor offenders to agree on action to pay back the community they have wronged.
The party also wants 10,000 more cops on the beat by scrapping Labour’s controversial national ID scheme.
