CYP Now - Opinion: Debate - Should toddlers be targeted for criminal behaviour?

A leaked report from the Home Office says children as young as three should be singled out for intervention such as intensive fostering if they have bullied other children at nursery school or have a family history of criminal behaviour.

NO - WILL MCMAHON, senior associate, Crime and Society Foundation

This proposal is Orwellian. The document appears to be based on a flawed analysis of the "known" offending population and contentious studies of "known" criminal careers. However, those who go to prison, and are in the main poor or vulnerable to capture, only represent a fraction of the population who commit crimes. Most crime committed by the middle classes, the wealthy or corporations goes undetected; so what is being suggested is the targeting of poor and vulnerable people.

NO - JEAN GEMMELL, general secretary, Professional Association of Teachers, incorporating the Professional Association of Nursery Nurses

Register Now to Continue Reading

Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's Included