A KEYNSHAM councillor has warned that a “child first” approach to youth justice will not stop “feral” youths harassing people.
Alan Hale (Keynsham South, Independent Group) made his remarks as Bath and North East Somerset Council voted to approve its youth justice plan.
The plan sets out how it works to prevent offending and re-offending with a “child first” approach, prioritising the interests of children in the justice system as well as victims.
Seconding the plan, Lesley Mansell (Labour, Radstock) told the meeting: “This is not about being soft on crime, it is about being smart on prevention.”
But Councillor Hale argued that the council should focus on victims, not children who made people victims.
He said: “If you think this is going to work, you need to sell it to the people who complain to me about anti-social behaviour.”
Cllr Hale spoke out at a public meeting in Keynsham last year, at which residents spoke of feeling scared and angry about crime and anti-social behaviour from young people in the High Street and other areas of the town.
He told B&NES councillors: “At the end of the day, when you have members of the public being harassed/harangued by young people who are somewhat feral, I don’t believe that this will achieve a great deal.”
But Manda Rigby (Bathwick, Liberal Democrat) condemned the comment.
She said: “I find it appalling that I’m sitting in a council, where we are trying to talk about preventative work and helping or young people avoid the stigma of crime and ruining their life chances at an early age, and hear those young people being referred to as ‘feral’ youths. I think it is a disgrace.”
Tim Ball (Twerton and Whiteway, Liberal Democrat) said Cllr Hale had missed the point.
He said: “We need to keep the youths out of crime to start with. If we can keep them out of crime until they are 18/19, they don’t normally get involved.”
The youth justice plan aims to reduce reoffending by maximising out-of-court alternative sentencing and restorative justice where possible. The plan also aims to reduce serious violence such as knife crime through work with the violence reduction partnership.
Tim Warren (Midsomer Norton North, Conservative) said Cllr Hale’s comments had been taken out of context.
He said: “There are wild groups of young people around. If there wasn’t, we wouldn’t have to do this. And it’s a sad reflection of society. Is it the kids’ fault? It’s probably not. It’s probably the way they’re brought up.”
Despite voicing concerns, Mr Hale did vote to approve the strategy in a unanimous vote by councillors.
John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporting Service
Pictured, Councillor Alan Hale in Keynsham High Street
Councillor’s ‘feral’ youths comments attacked
