Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for November 17, 2008 GREAT SCOT...FERAL CHILDREN

A "cry for help"...

You better be careful whatcha say about your sweet, innocent children...you might get bit!

Children are just animals, according to 42% of Scots

By BRIAN DONNELLY

Almost half of Scots believe children are dangerous, a survey reveals today.

Children's charity Barnardo's Scotland said that the results showed a "disturbing" intolerance of youngsters, and that the attitudes were unjustified.

The poll of 2021 adults found that 42% of Scots believed children were beginning to behave like animals, while 41% said children were increasingly dangerous both to each other and to adults.

Barnardo's said the attitudes contradict Victim Support Scotland statistics which say that less than 1.5% of young people commit crime.

The Scottish Crime and Victimisation Survey also shows that young people aged between 16 and 24 were more likely to be victims of personal crime compared to older people.

The report comes less than a week after the annual report of the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration showed a record number of children's hearings last year as the number of youngsters on supervision orders reached an all-time high.

Although most were under supervision for their own protection the SCRA found there were 14,506 youngsters referred to the Reporter as they were alleged to have committed an offence, with more than 10,000 cases involving assaults or weapons.

Martin Crewe, director of Barnardo's Scotland, said: "The fact that just under half of Scots refer to children as feral' means we still need to change public perception and recognise that most young people aren't criminal.

"Most make a positive contribution to society. The Scottish public overestimates the amount of crime committed by young people.

"The real crime is that this sort of talk and attitude does nothing to help those young people who are difficult, unruly or badly behaved to change their ways."

LibDem education spokesperson Margaret Smith said: "These statistics are alarming. It's worth remembering that the main reason for children being referred to hearings is their own protection.

"This trend of demonising young people must end. In its place, there should be real support for those young people whose antisocial behaviour is a cry for help. That is how we will cut crime and protect communities."

Alongside its survey, Barnardo's launched a report which said children who engaged in illegal and antisocial behaviour were those in most need of support.

The report claimed that children who become involved in criminal activity come from the most deprived families, have the poorest educational experiences and are more likely to suffer from poor health. Mr Crewe said: "Barnardo's is not naive: we recognise that a minority of children are anti-social and some commit crimes. When that happens, both in the interests of the child and in the interests of the victims, firm action needs to be taken.

"The vast majority of children are decent, enthusiastic, caring and conscientious. Those who do start down the path of bad behaviour can be helped to change direction."