SCOTLAND

Neighbourhoods 'suffer as Children's Panel lets yobs off'

Residents are suffering needlessly at the hands of hooligans because the Children's Panel is reluctant to use tough powers to curb their behaviour, it was claimed today.

Sheila Gilmore, Edinburgh's councillor in charge of tackling antisocial behaviour, hit out at the panel for failing to recommend Antisocial Behaviour Orders for under-16s to court sheriffs.
She was speaking after Scotland's Justice Minister, Cathy Jamieson, criticised local authorities for under-using measures introduced by the Scottish Executive to tackle antisocial behaviour.
Cllr Gilmore said that in the last three months alone the council has wanted to slap Asbos on four youths, but has so far been unable to get backing from a Children's Panel reporter, and is reluctant to go ahead without it. It is a problem also faced in other parts of Scotland, and as a result not one child in that age group in the whole of the country has been given an Asbo.
Cllr Gilmore said the system was failing communities, as well as failing the children themselves.

The councillor said: “We had one 15-year-old involved in very serious vandalism and antisocial behaviour — not around his own home.
“An Asbo would have been appropriate. “It would have removed him from that area.”
She added: “We are having to wait for children to turn 16 so we can apply for an Asbo.
“What is wrong with issuing an Asbo earlier?
“Communities would be better protected, and youngsters could be worked with much earlier at a time when we could have had some impact on their behaviour.
“There is resistance to using these powers, particularly from reporters.
“When asked to give a view on whether an Asbo should be issued they say 'no'.
“Before you take any action in court you have to pass it by a Children's Panel reporter.
“They don't have a veto but their opinion is taken very seriously into account.

“There have been no Asbos given to under 16-year-olds in Scotland — that's wrong.
“People say it's a last resort. But if you live in a community being terrorised by persistent bad behaviour you don't want to be a guinea pig for every remedy going.”
A Scottish Executive spokes-woman said that the Justice Minister's criticism would be extended to anyone at ground level who fails to make the most of the powers available, including the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration.
She said: “Only if all agencies work together can we help their communities to beat antisocial behaviour.”

No-one from the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration was available for comment.

Gareth Rose
23 August 2005

http://news.scotsman.com/edinburgh.cfm?id=1829172005

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