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| Criminal age 'should be raised' | Criminal age 'should be raised' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The government is being urged to raise the age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales from 10 to 14. | The government is being urged to raise the age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales from 10 to 14. |
| A report for the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies says too many children are prosecuted and criminalised. | A report for the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies says too many children are prosecuted and criminalised. |
| It calls for greater emphasis on addressing the educational, social and mental health needs of young offenders and suggests sentencing reform. | It calls for greater emphasis on addressing the educational, social and mental health needs of young offenders and suggests sentencing reform. |
| The author, Rob Allen, says the youth justice system should move away from "cops, courts and corrections". | The author, Rob Allen, says the youth justice system should move away from "cops, courts and corrections". |
| The report's reform suggestions include the introduction of a new sentencing framework, including a residential training order of up to two years - or five years in the case of grave crimes. | The report's reform suggestions include the introduction of a new sentencing framework, including a residential training order of up to two years - or five years in the case of grave crimes. |
| It also calls for the phasing out of prison custody for 15 and 16-year-olds and new facilities for 17-year-olds, as well as greater investment in services to support troubled or at-risk children with educational and mental health problems. | It also calls for the phasing out of prison custody for 15 and 16-year-olds and new facilities for 17-year-olds, as well as greater investment in services to support troubled or at-risk children with educational and mental health problems. |
| 'Problem solving' | 'Problem solving' |
| Mr Allen, who spent eight years as a member of the Youth Justice Board, said: "We have seen an increasing preoccupation with protecting the public from young people and a growing intolerance of teenage misbehaviour of all kinds. | Mr Allen, who spent eight years as a member of the Youth Justice Board, said: "We have seen an increasing preoccupation with protecting the public from young people and a growing intolerance of teenage misbehaviour of all kinds. |
| "A genuine shift from punishment to problem solving as the guiding principle for tackling youth crime would help to produce a society that is both safer and fairer." | "A genuine shift from punishment to problem solving as the guiding principle for tackling youth crime would help to produce a society that is both safer and fairer." |
| He told BBC Radio Five Live the young offenders he dealt with came from disturbed backgrounds and had often not been to school. | He told BBC Radio Five Live the young offenders he dealt with came from disturbed backgrounds and had often not been to school. |
| Most other countries would not dream of putting youngsters as young as 10 in front of criminal courts Rob Allen, report author | |
| "I don't think they have reached the point of development that you could safely say they do know right from wrong," he said. | "I don't think they have reached the point of development that you could safely say they do know right from wrong," he said. |
| "They may not be able to know about the consequences of what they do." | "They may not be able to know about the consequences of what they do." |
| In the report, Mr Allen highlights the fact that the age of criminal responsibility is higher in many other countries - in France it is 13, in Japan it is 14 and in Italy it is 15. | In the report, Mr Allen highlights the fact that the age of criminal responsibility is higher in many other countries - in France it is 13, in Japan it is 14 and in Italy it is 15. |
| He said: "Most other countries would not dream of putting youngsters as young as 10 in front of criminal courts. | He said: "Most other countries would not dream of putting youngsters as young as 10 in front of criminal courts. |
| "You run the risk of labelling them as criminals. They begin to see themselves as delinquents, others treat them as delinquents, and very quickly you are in a cycle that youngsters find it very difficult to break out of." | "You run the risk of labelling them as criminals. They begin to see themselves as delinquents, others treat them as delinquents, and very quickly you are in a cycle that youngsters find it very difficult to break out of." |
| BBC home affairs correspondent, Danny Shaw, said that one of Labour's first measures after coming to office in 1997 was to lower the age when children were presumed to know the difference between right and wrong from 14 to 10. | BBC home affairs correspondent, Danny Shaw, said that one of Labour's first measures after coming to office in 1997 was to lower the age when children were presumed to know the difference between right and wrong from 14 to 10. |
| "Researchers argue that if the age of criminal responsibility was restored to 14, more offenders could be dealt with outside the court system, enabling the underlying causes of their misbehaviour to be tackled," he said. | "Researchers argue that if the age of criminal responsibility was restored to 14, more offenders could be dealt with outside the court system, enabling the underlying causes of their misbehaviour to be tackled," he said. |
| Richard Garside, acting director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, based at King's College in London said: "This report is an important contribution providing a radical rethink that is long overdue. | Richard Garside, acting director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, based at King's College in London said: "This report is an important contribution providing a radical rethink that is long overdue. |
| "There are few more pressing issues of policy in relation to crime than what we do about children who offend and get caught up in a criminal justice system that is unable to meet their needs." | "There are few more pressing issues of policy in relation to crime than what we do about children who offend and get caught up in a criminal justice system that is unable to meet their needs." |
| We will study this report carefully but remain to be convinced about the need to raise the criminal age of responsibility Edward Garnier, shadow home affairs minister | We will study this report carefully but remain to be convinced about the need to raise the criminal age of responsibility Edward Garnier, shadow home affairs minister |
| A Home Office spokesman said: "The government is committed to reducing youth offending and diverting young people away from crime at the earliest possible opportunity. | A Home Office spokesman said: "The government is committed to reducing youth offending and diverting young people away from crime at the earliest possible opportunity. |
| "This report raises some important issues regarding youth justice and we look forward to studying it in detail. | "This report raises some important issues regarding youth justice and we look forward to studying it in detail. |
| "There are no current plans to raise the age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales. | "There are no current plans to raise the age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales. |
| "The current age of criminal responsibility allows us to intervene earlier to prevent offending and to help young people develop a sense of personal responsibility for their misbehaviour." | "The current age of criminal responsibility allows us to intervene earlier to prevent offending and to help young people develop a sense of personal responsibility for their misbehaviour." |
| Shadow home affairs minister Edward Garnier said: "We will study this report carefully but remain to be convinced about the need to raise the criminal age of responsibility." | Shadow home affairs minister Edward Garnier said: "We will study this report carefully but remain to be convinced about the need to raise the criminal age of responsibility." |
| The issue of dealing with child criminals has frequently come under public scrutiny, one example of which was during the Jamie Bulger murder trial. | The issue of dealing with child criminals has frequently come under public scrutiny, one example of which was during the Jamie Bulger murder trial. |
| Jon Venables and Robert Thomson were 10 years old when they abducted and murdered the two-year-old in 1993. Both boys were later released on parole after eight years. | Jon Venables and Robert Thomson were 10 years old when they abducted and murdered the two-year-old in 1993. Both boys were later released on parole after eight years. |