UK parents to face prison time if they don't stop their kids committing crime
Parents could face jail if they fail to stop their children from committing crimes under Labour plans to overhaul the youth justice system. Ministers are hoping to prevent children from starting a life of crime with a series of reforms in the new Youth Justice White Paper published on Monday.Under the proposals, which come after the public inquiry into the Southport killings, parents and carers could face greater responsibility for their children who commit crimes and cause anti-social behaviour. Labour wants to strengthen parenting orders, which currently mean parents can be compelled to address their children’s behaviour through counselling and guidance, or can lead to fines. The issuing of such orders has fallen significantly over the last two decades, from more than 1,000 in 2009/10, to 33 in 2022/23, according to the Ministry of Justice.Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy is proposing to give courts additional powers to jail parents who fail to comply with the orders, The Telegraph reports.Increasing the current maximum fine of £1,000 is also said to be part of the proposals by Mr Lammy who is spearheading the shake-up.He said: “Too many young people are being drawn into crime, with devastating consequences for victims, communities and their own futures.“These reforms lay the foundation to intervene far earlier, support families, and tackle the drivers of offending so fewer young people become trapped in cycles of crime, creating safer streets and fewer victims.”There are also plans to trial new youth intervention courts, bringing together judges and support services to tackle issues drawing young people into crime.The courts will also supervise young offenders, providing them with tailored health and education interventions to help them avoid a life of crime.Justice Minister Jake Richards said the plans will improve the youth justice system which is currently “not working”.He said: “These reforms will modernise the system, keep pace with emerging risks and ensure young offenders get the support they need turn their lives around, while improving public safety.”Other plans include a more than £15 million per year investment in a scheme to help 12,000 children at risk of entering the youth justice system over the next three years.Despite the proposals, the Conservatives claimed Labour does not “have it in their DNA to be tough on crime”.Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy said: “They’ve let thousands of prisoners early and abolished short term sentences – so most perpetrators of knife crime who have been sent to prison in the past few years will escape a custodial sentence in future.“This goes to show the problem with this government is not Starmer – it’s Labour. This country needs a strong Conservative government that will back our police, lock up criminals and crack down on crime.”
