Losing battle against youth crime
5 Nov 04
Justice minister admits agencies are failing to get a grip on spiralling youth crime
New Scottish Executive statistics show that there are now 1,200 persistent young offenders in Scotland compared with 890 in 2000 – higher than previously thought.
Dundee tops the league table with 0.73% of children there recorded as persistent offenders – three times the national average.
The Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson told Parliament that the new data was 'sobering news' for all agencies involved in delivering improved youth justice outcomes.
None of them met their targets at a national level - a clear message, she said, that further improvements are required across agencies to ensure that all National Youth Justice Standards are met by 2006.
Ms Jamieson said: "Youth crime tears the fabric of our communities. It drags us all down. Families, neighbours, streets, communities. But above all it drags down young people…..
"The figures disclose some stark lessons for all of us. No one single agency meets all of its standards nationwide. So much needs to happen before 2006. This information shows a large gap between current performance and what we need, and what communities rightly demand.”