Scotland’s child criminals
Law and order statistics released as part of a Freedom of Information request indicate that children as young as four years old are involved in criminal activity such as house-breaking and petty assault.
Figures compiled by Grampian police show that during a single year nearly 10,000 crimes were committed by children under 18. Perhaps the most striking group were those aged under eight – where 49 offences were committed.
The children cannot be identified, but they include a four-year-old accused of house-breaking, a five-year-old caught shoplifting, and another house-breaker aged five. There were 26 cases of vandalism among the under-eights.
Both the police and Scottish Government have called on parents to acknowledge their responsibilities and to teach young people right from wrong.
Paul Kosciecha
