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Im a do discipline my kids in the only ways that are allowed these days (taking away the xbox about one of the only ones left). The toruble is the schools and nursery can't back parents up in any way. The word naughty is banned in nursery as is the naughty step. The Teachers are encouraged to have quiet conversations with a screaming toddler and they are supposed to undersatand and convert their behaviour! Its a world gone mad and our kids dont know right from wrong simply because the law does not allow us to tell them what behaviour is right or wrong even at a very early age and they get such mixed messages from home and school.

- Nicola, Lancashire, 11/09/2009 06:45
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In this day and age the only blame to be held is on the individuals being convicted of criminal offences. They were obviously doing something destructive enough to have recieved the caution in the first place so we should not be blaming the school systems or the child's parents becuse these places -even if discipline is absent- are still teaching two things; what is right and what is wrong. The solution is not to detain, contain and demoralize these children neither is it to hold other variables like voilent music and video games at fault. You can't honestly tell me (or any other person at that mattter) that a kid stealing was unaware that stealing was wrong in the first place, even if they're given a bad example by family or friends, you still know that taking something that isn't yours is not appropriate (why else would they sneak it when they steal?). Seriously, if a person -even if young- is not moraly aware of their actions, then there is something disturbingly wrong and their lifestyle needs to be investigated, ASAP.

The conclusion? why does it even matter that 1million "children" have been convicted of a crime? We can't really say anything becuase we don't know what these 1million crimes were!

What we should be asking is what was the purpose of this posting? Probaly just another political battle- making someone look bad so they look betterm, yeah?
Well.
Thank you for actually convicting the kids. London obviously doesn't seem to have Doli Incapax in place.

- Stephanie, Australia, 09/09/2009 04:01
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Feral Children, dontcha just love em!!

- Steve, Brentford, 27/08/2009 22:24
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Nolan- Cautions do not count as "convictions" and can only be given if guilt is admitted, i.e the "demonised" child IS GUILTY of an offence.
NuLiebour's criminal injustice system can hand down as many convictions and cautions as it likes; the problem is punishment, or the lack of it. This applies right across the board, not just to juveniles, the consequences of being caught and convicted are invariably pathetically lenient. They do not act as any kind of deterrent, as evidenced by the 70% increase in violent crime in recent times.
It is a sad fact that, in NuLiebour Britain, crime usually does pay.

- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster, 27/08/2009 17:56
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ASW, if beating kids is the answer, how come other European countries aren't plagued by juvenile crime to the same extent as Britain, yet don't have corporal punishment? Perhaps all that hcaning did you more harm than you realise.

- Austen, London, 27/08/2009 16:54
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Life under Lying Labour good in'it.

- Themanoftruth, United Kingdom, 27/08/2009 16:51
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Well having read lots of the no-discipline-at-home comments I'll add my ha'peth that here in France they have extraordinary discipline at school: it doesn't matter what your background is - the state schools are all about the same standard and most people go to the local one. Being a socialist country the French state stamps itself as the central authority all over the place right from the beginning. School starts at 3 - this is mostly a few hours per week of structured play like you'd get if you payed for a nursery place in the UK - but it is really impressed on the children from the earliest stage that the teacher is in charge and you're doing things the same way as the rest of the country, like it or not: they go to the loo at at the same time, have a nap at the same time, start to tidy their games and learning not to thump each other and see how their day is to be regulated. In fact, they learn discipline - irrespective of whether their parents taught them at home. 'Do it the way everyone else does' permeates the whole system of life here. There is an effort to retain community life and most people know who they live along side; the average distance to work is 10 minutes and the average working week is about 38 hours, leaving lots of 'quality time'. Joint custody is the default position in divorce, alternating 2 weeks with each parent and both parents expected to support themselves. Really: there is a lot the UK Government could do to build an integrated society.

- Roz, France, 27/08/2009 16:21
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This is a statistical nonsense - cautions were only introduced in 1998! This doesn't show an increase in youth crime, it shows that a million young people have been given criminal records without ever being convicted. We have to stop demonising children if we ever want anything to change.

By the way, which century are you posting from Jan?

- Nolan, Londonist, 27/08/2009 14:02
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How many of these crimes were crimes before Nu Liebore came into power, remember they have added about 1 new crime a day since 1997.

- Jim, London, 27/08/2009 13:43
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In part PC gone mad. When I attended school, I was caned several times, plus the slipper. At the time one might thought it harsh, but it did me no harm. Discipline does not exit these days for the fear of teachers and parents being prosecuted. Perhaps a lot may disagree, but a slap when you misbehave is in no way a bad thing for the child to learn.

Why are we the tax payer paying for a bunch of quango's for dreaming up new rules/laws beats me, excuse the pun.

- Asw, HK, 27/08/2009 12:44
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Steve of London is right. A gradual decline in discipline at home and in schools has resulted in a decline in self-discipline, self-respect and respect for others. It has all come crashing down like a set of dominoes. Question is, what are we going to do about it?

- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands, 27/08/2009 11:20
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"Children have been convicted of criminal offences" and "Nick Clegg accused the Government of "criminalising a generation of children". In case Mr Clegg fails to understand basic english, convicted means guilty, the "Children", poor mites, have committed the crime. For once I will stick up for this government. They didn't criminalise the kids, by forcing them to commit crimes. If Mr Clegg would now like to go away.......... and tell us why this happened then maybe I would listen to him. Is it because of very Liberal Policies where everybody knows their rights, and has issues that must be resolved, or is there a basic underlying problem that has allowed this situation to go unchecked. The line between right and wrong used to be defined, now it is all self, self, self.

- Alan, carlisle uk, 27/08/2009 11:01
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And just how many are committed below these ages. No wonder the old are terrified to open their doors, no wonder that street crime is going up.

The only way to deter these people is to bring back reform school, with no religious or dietary tolerances. Feed them with stodgy food to slow them down with no opportunity for gym type exercise, make them do mindless demeaning repetitive work to addle their mind and reduce their employment chances and because they have a conviction reduce any state aid they may get; unless they carry out a disproportional large amount of unpaid charity work AFTER the long time in reform school.

Sounds Tough ? well so it should be this figure is way too high and is brought about by liberal left wing middle class do gooders !

- Jan, London, England, 27/08/2009 10:54
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When there's no discipline at home or school what do you expect?

- Steve, London, 27/08/2009 10:36
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This report was published just one day after a Labour spokesperson said that crime was down. "Orwellian doublespeak" at it's best, eh?

- Alan, Romney Marsh UK, 27/08/2009 10:33
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