Welcome for plans to tackle youth crime (Westminster and City of London Liberal Democrats)

Westminster and City of London Liberal Democrats <info@westminsterlibdems.org.uk>

Welcome for plans to tackle youth crime

August 9, 2008 6:20 PM

We can cut crime - Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrats in Westminster are welcoming proposals from the party's Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne MP, to tackle youth crime.

The plans are aimed at cutting crime and getting young people involved in positive activities that actually benefit local communities. They include:

the creation of a Youth Volunteer Force - to engage young people, involve them in community projects and give them skills to benefit them in later life
establishing Community Justice Panels right across the country, where offenders admit their guilt to the community and agree on a Positive Behaviour Order as a constructive course of action
creating a dedicated Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) youth officer within every Safer Neighbourhood Team to identify and work with teenagers most at risk of offending
recruiting an extra 10,000 police and putting them on the streets, paid for by scrapping the ID cards scheme
intelligence-led stop & search and 'hot-spot' policing, concentrating on tackling gun and knife crime
setting up restorative justice projects to be run in every community, aimed at early intervention with widespread use in schools and care homes

Local Liberal Democrat spokeswoman Sue Baring said, "These proposals could potentially go a long way to reduce youth crime. By having more police who can focus on crime hotspots, we will be able to deter crime more effectively from happening in the first place.

"We also need to give young people positive alternatives to do. It is not an excuse. but it is a fact that too often they get into trouble because there is nothing for them to do. Our Youth Volunteer Force idea would be a great way to get young people involved in activities that benefit not only themselves but also the area in which they live.

"I am also keen to ensure that those who do break the law or cause disturbances or vandalism have to pay back the community they have wronged.

"That is precisely why restorative justice is important. It will mean that those convicted of crimes will have to work on cleaning up vandalism or on projects that benefit communities as part of their punishment.

"Many people are concerned about youth crime. The proposals that the Liberal Democrats have put forward would help combat youth crime and address those concerns."