Children of criminals to be 'targeted' and 'tracked'

[R. A. Hettinga]

<http://news.independent.co.uk/low_res/story.jsp?story=551894&host=3&dir=62>

The Independent


 Children of criminals to be 'targeted' and 'tracked'

By Marie Woolf ,Chief Political Correspondent

16 August 2004

 Children of criminals to be 'targeted' and 'tracked'

 Hazel Blears: Shedding new light on the old cops-and-robbers story

 Bruce Anderson: Blunkett and Howard are right to focus on the collapse of
order and rising crime?

Children of criminals are to be "targeted" and "tracked" from an early age
by the Government to prevent them following their parents into a life of
crime, as part of a campaign to tackle the next generation of offenders.

In an offensive on youth crime, a programme to prevent 125,000 children
whose fathers are in prison from joining them in jail, is being planned by
the Home Office.

In an interview with The Independent, Hazel Blears, the Policing minister,
says she is optimistic that "tracking" and "targeting" can help prevent
children becoming criminals like their parents.

Studies showed that children with criminal fathers and "under-achievers"
who grow up in local authority care have a significant chance of turning to
crime themselves.

"About 125,000 kids have got a dad in prison. That's a huge risk factor.
Something like 65 per cent of those kids will end up in prison themselves,"
she said. "We need to track the children who are most at risk. We can
predict the risk factors that will lead a child into offending behaviour."
However, she is aware the plan, based on research showing children of
criminals are far more likely to end up in jail than their peers, may lead
to accusations they are being unfairly singled out.

"I don't think it is stigmatising those children by targeting them," she
said. "You can intervene at an early age and say 'your life can be
different and we will help you and your parents make your life different.'
Let's put the support in as early as we can."

The Policing minister has been in talks with Margaret Hodge, the minister
for Children, about an early intervention scheme to prevent children of
burglars, muggers, and gangsters from breaking the law.

She wants to use methods used in Labour's Sure Start programme for
under-fives in deprived areas to give extra support to children from
criminal backgrounds.

Children would be tracked by the authorities from the time they are in
nappies to their teenage years with extra support and help to nip
disruptive behaviour in the bud.

One study showed that the most violent offenders began to display bad
behaviour as young as six. Another study which tracked children into adult
life found "under-controlled" children who exhibited disruptive behaviour
at the age of three were four times more likely to be convicted of violent
offences.

"If you can tackle the 125,000 kids with dads in jail by providing extra
support and help there's a chance," Ms Blears said. Teenagers with criminal
fathers would be monitored and offered extra support at school and by
social services as well as being introduced to sport, drama and other
after-school activities.

"You can get the parents into parenting classes. We can get some of the
older kids involved in arts, sports drama. Give them something to succeed
at. If you go to school every day and everybody tells you you are rubbish
you are never going to succeed," she said.

Ms Blears also wants to see a crackdown on violence and bullying in
schools. Studies show classroom bullies are more likely to be involved in
muggings, car theft and attacks outside school. "I don't think you can
afford to let it go. It's a bit like zero tolerance," she said.

The judicial system should help offenders, including drug addicts who rob
to fuel their habit, to change their ways. But if they refuse to change,
the police should provide a "hostile environment" for them.

"We will help you change your life but if you want to go back to robbing we
will be on your doorstep," she said.

Meanwhile, children up to the age of five are to be kept in prison with
their mothers at Cornton Vale, near Stirling, it emerged yesterday.


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R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah at ibuc.com>
The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/>
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