Lib Dems: Don't send kids to jail

Huhne: Take action early

Thursday, 07, Aug 2008 12:00

Young people convicted of minor criminal offences should be kept out the criminal justice system, the Liberal Democrats have said.

The party message is that custody should only be used as a last resort and that offenders should instead be made to appear before a panel of local people to apologise and pay for the damage caused.

The policy will appeal to the party's rank and file, who are naturally suspicious of the way ASBO culture criminalises vast swathes of young people. But the apology to local people is designed to curry favour with the tabloid newspapers, whose support the Lib Dems desperately need.

Launching their new plans to stem youth crime, the party said prevention will be at the forefront of their policies.

Every area will be given its own community support officer to work with those teenagers most at risk of committing an offence.

"If we want to tackle the problem of youth crime, we need to take action early to stop kids from embarking on a life of crime before it's too late," said Chris Huhne, Lib Dem home affair spokesman.

"The old parties are falling over each other trying to be tough on crime, but nothing is being done do stop young people getting sucked in to a cycle of crime."

Other proposals include an emphasis on not sending young offenders in to the criminal justice system, the formation of 'youth volunteer forces' to engage young people with activities which benefit the community, a nationwide restorative justice programme with early intervention in schools and care homes.

The party also want a continued crackdown on knives and guns through stop-and-search and hot-spot policing.

Mr Huhne berated both Labour and the Tories for focussing on ineffective hard line policies to appeal to the tabloid press.

"Ministers know that programmes to divert kids away from crime work, and are even happy to promote such projects," he said.

"However, they have failed to fund them properly in favour of punitive policies that grab headlines but achieve little."