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Opinion: Debate - Do curfews for under-16s infringe their human rights?

1 min read
Liberty, the civil rights organisation, is bringing a test case to challenge powers in the Anti-social Behaviour Act that allow police to disperse groups of two or more under-16s from an area and prevent them from returning after 9pm.

YES - Alison Dean, youth work development adviser, YMCA England

YMCA England is very opposed to curfews for young people of any age. We are concerned that youngsters who are moved on by police when walking home from their youth club in a group of friends could develop a negative image of the police service. Our youth work focuses on youth participation and decision-making, therefore we welcome opportunities for young people to work with the police and contribute their ideas on how to best control potential antisocial behaviour.

NO - Home Office spokeswoman

A local child curfew scheme has a dual purpose: to protect the local community from the distress caused by groups of young people involved in antisocial behaviour at night and to protect children and young people from risks of being unaccompanied on the streets late at night.The scheme gives police clear powers to take any child found in breach of a local child curfew and who they believe to be at risk home to their parents. There is no criminal penalty; it is designed solely to protect children and reduce the risk of them offending or behaving antisocially.

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