ALMOST one in 10 Scots youngsters have at least one criminal conviction by age 19, the biggest survey into youth crime north of the border has concluded.
Researchers at Edinburgh University, who monitored more than 4,300 youngsters from the start of secondary school, discovered that around a third of children in trouble – 132 individuals – had convictions for crimes of violence.
The team also iden
tified a hardcore among youngsters with criminal convictions. Almost a quarter of the group had committed four or more crimes.
The researchers last night blamed social problems, family breakdown, school exclusion and a "shocking failure" in the youth justice system for the number of youngsters getting into serious trouble during their teens.
Among offenders appearing before the children's hearing system – which is designed to address their behaviour – 60% later appear in an adult court. The researchers say more needs to be done to assist troubled youngsters and they should be regarded as vulnerable.
But the recommendations from the Edinburgh study were criticised by victims' groups last night, who said the rights of those who suffered at the hands of criminals were in danger of being forgotten.
The debate over the extent of crime committed by "feral youth", and what to do about it, has raged over the past week following the conviction of a gang of teenagers for kicking and beating to death Gary Newlove outside his home in Warrington, Cheshire. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said she would not feel safe walking in Hackney, London, late at night.
In Scotland last week, a sheriff agreed to a newspaper's request to be allowed to 'name and shame' a 15-year-old boy who attacked a seller of the Big Issue magazine, with a bottle.
Sheriff Annella Cowan gave permission for teenager Lee Reid's name, address and photograph to be published, saying: "I am satisfied that, particularly in the climate of cases of violent assaults by young persons, it is … in the public interest that the restrictions be lifted – publicity is part of the punishment."
Against this background, Edinburgh University has been running a massive project to examine why children get into trouble – the Youth Transitions and Crime Study – which began in 1998 and has analysed the lives of 4,317 youngsters.
The latest report, for 2007, has been obtained by Scotland on Sunday and shows:
• Some 355 – 8.8% – of respondents ended up with at least one conviction by 19.
• This sub-group amassed 1,213 convictions, with 23% receiving four or more convictions and one individual amassing 44.
• A quarter of those were convicted before they turned 16.
• Almost all of those who ended up with criminal records had been excluded from school, had received a police warning by 12 or had been referred to the Scottish Children's Reporter.
• Motoring offences were the most common crimes, with only 11 individuals found in possession of a weapon.
Among the recommendations made by the group are trying to reduce the number of youngsters excluded from school to lessen the chances of them ending up with a criminal record. Study co-director Susan McVie believes the problem of 'feral' youths is greatly exaggerated, however, and said the report's findings bear this out.
She added: "Public perceptions are driven largely by political reports and media portrayals of knife-fuelled violence.
"Although these pictures do represent a certain component of Scottish society, it does not reflect the norm of Scottish life for most people. There is a real lack of objective data on youth offending in Scotland, such as ours, which may be able to alleviate public concern."
McVie said the findings highlighted the need to keep young people out of the criminal justice system for as long as possible. She added: "What was particularly concerning was the proportion of young people who made the transition from the children's hearing system to the adult criminal justice system.
"Three out of five young people with a conviction had been known to the children's hearing system and that indicates a shocking failure to address the issues underlying these people's offending behaviour.
"Our research indicates that many of those children who offend most frequently and seriously are also highly vulnerable, damaged and needy. They should be retained within the appropriate system for as long as possible, rather than treating them as adults."
Tom Roberts, head of public affairs at Scottish Children's charity Children 1st, said: "Everyone agrees that early intervention is key to tackling children and young people's difficulties. However, increasingly, a child only gets help when there is a formal referral made, such as to the Children's Reporter. We know that often the best way to help children is by supporting their parents, but more investment in support services is needed to allow parents to access appropriate support where and when they need it."
But Norman Brennan, head of the Victims of Crime Trust, said: "There needs to be a degree of care when it comes to dealing with and treating young offenders, but many of them do know better and realise that they are breaking the boundaries and constraints set by normal society."
David Sinclair, a spokesman for Victims of Violence Scotland, said: "We recognise that there can be peer pressure from their own age group that can put them in a very difficult position. However, what is quite clear is that there is a very definite type of youngster who is not controlled by their family and who has not accepted the rules of education or society."
