§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list in theOfficial Report the initiatives being considered to stem the rise in juvenile crime in Scotland; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what additional funding is being made available to stem the rise in juvenile crime in Scotland;
(3) what specific proposals have been discussed with the police to combat the rise in juvenile crime in Scotland;
(4) what specific proposals have been discussed with educational and professional bodies and local authorities to combat the rise in juvenile crime in Scotland;
41W(5) what new proposals are being considered to combat juvenile housebreaking in Scotland;
(6) what new proposals are being considered to combat juvenile vandalism in Scotland;
(7) what new proposals are being considered to combat juvenile drug-related offences in Scotland;
(8) what new proposals are being considered to combat juvenile crimes of violence in Scotland;
(9) what new proposals are being considered to combat juvenile shoplifting in Scotland;
(10) what new proposals are being considered to combat juvenile drunkenness in Scotland.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe 1987 figures for juvenile crime in Scotland were given in the statistical bulletin, "Children and Crime, Scotland 1987" which was published by the Scottish Home and Health Department on 25 October. These show a slight rise in the total number of police reports on children accused of crimes and offences in Scotland, from 31,900 in 1986 to 32,200 in 1987. Within the total there were welcome decreases in reports for housebreaking, vandalism and drugs offences, but increases in reports for offences of violence, drunkenness, breaches of the peace and shoplifting. All the agencies concerned, including the police and teachers, have an important part to play in reducing the number of criminal offences committed by children. Responsibility also rests with parents to inculcate a proper sense of social responsibility, and to exercise supervision and control.
As to specific initiatives being taken or promoted centrally, a number of crime prevention measures have been or are being taken forward by the Secretary of State for Scotland's Crime Prevention Committee—the membership of which includes representatives of the police, local authorities, commerce, the trade unions and the education services—aimed both at reducing crime among young people and at promoting a positive sense of social responsibility. In the latter context the second phase of the national crime prevention publicity campaign, which will begin in November, will highlight the many practical measures which individuals, commercial organisations and the public services can adopt to reduce the opportunities for crime and to promote a greater sense of neighbourliness. The rapid growth in the number of neighbourhood watch schemes in Scotland during the last 12 months is a clear indication of greater public awareness of the importance of crime prevention.
The Secretary of State's committee has encouraged the participation of young people in the work of crime prevention panels. A special project for young people was a feature of the seminar for representatives of Scottish crime prevention panels which was held at the Scottish Police college in March this year. In addition there are now 11 junior crime prevention panels in Scotland. The Secretary of State's committee has also worked with the Scottish Education Department and with local education authorities in developing teaching packages for use by school children. There have been recent packages at secondary level to encourage a broader view of the individual's role and responsibilities in society and to address the question of drug education. A package discouraging vandalism will shortly be distributed for use in primary schools.