Government has repeatedly demonstrated a tough carrot-and-stick approach to tackling anti-social and negative behaviour in children and young people. However, this can oversimplify problems. For example, when a child plays truant who is to blame? The "misbehaving" child; the "condoning" parent; the education system that fails to engage the youngster; or wider society? The reality, of course, is that truancy is always complex, so extreme measures such as locking up parents tend to make headlines rather than address the cause. In their desire to be seen to be pushing a policy package that includes tough final sanctions, the Government can sometimes rely on criminalisation.
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