Crime
Youth & Crime Prevention Orders Stop and Search
If you feel your child is getting involved in criminal activities, parents can engage professional services usually through their local authority.
Youth Crime Prevention Programs
A Child can be placed on a youth prevention program if they have been
- identified as being at risk
- in trouble with the police
- They’re involved in anti-social behavior
- Are at risk of “committing a crime”
Attending one of these programs is voluntary. The young person and their parents or carers have to be happy with everything before it starts.
Many programs are run by the council’s local youth offending team or by other local organisations like youth charities.
To find out about youth crime prevention programs in your area, contact your local youth offending team.
Parenting Programs
Delivered by Local Authority Youth Offending Teams
Things you should know
- Attending is voluntary
- You have to be happy with the program before it starts
- It is run by local authority youth offending teams.
- Or it can be run by other youth organisations who unfortunately are seriously underfunded and resourced to continue to deliver the critical work they do.
Parenting Orders-
Can be imposed upon you by the court as well as any order against your child.
If your child is under 10
Cannot be charged with an offense but can be subject to:-
- Local child curfew– Police can ban a child from being in a public place between 9pm and 6am.
- If they are out they must be with an adult over the age of 18.
- A parenting order is usually imposed for 90 days.
Child Safety Order
- A child Safety order is usually placed under the supervision of a Youth Offending Team (YOT).
- It usually lasts up to 3 months but in some cases can run for 12 months. If the child does not stick to it.
- If the child regularly breaks the law they can be taken into care and or their parents held responsible for their behavior- (back to the parenting orders etc).
Grooming
Modern slavery laws are now being used as it is essentially child exploitation and trafficking
The then Labour MP Anne Coffey has done a report into grooming and child slavery however, it does not even touch the surface.
County Lines
The name comes from the names given to the drug lines run by the dealers- very simple- county because they’re not in London.
They use children because
- They are cheap
- Easily manipulated and intimidated
- Less likely to attract attention
- And most worryingly- disposable.
They use methods similar to pedophiles, and target vulnerable children
They manipulate them with promises
Give them lavish gifts, trainers, drugs, friendships also providing girls for sex
OR
The boys willingly get involved because it seems glamorous- then what is almost guaranteed- their first run – they will get “robbed”- they are in debt, then they are trapped
They intimidate single mothers/fathers into keeping a particular child if he or she is a good “worker”.
Once under their control they are put in crack houses which are usually properties occupied by tenants who are drug addicts who’ve also been in the same position.
All of this simply results in mental health, imprisonment or murder – many cases.
Know the signs- I’m not a parent but as a lawyer I can see a pattern when I attend upon them at the police station and the game is up so to speak.
They often tell their parents they are going to stay at a friends house
Or lose interest in an activity they were once doing like sports.
They are often terrified
They are often only allowed to leave the “trap house” to deal.
CRIMES CHILDREN COULD GET CAUGHT UP IN
Crime Evolves. Crime can even appear “fashionable”
Knife crime
Drugs
THEFT
HSG– phones, bikes, clothes
BULLYING // INTIMIDATION // COERCION– how they interact with each other eg. Language used
ASSAULTS– criminal responsibility- aged 10 or above- so fights in at times – Police called
SEXUAL OFFENCES If the victim us under 16. This can result in your child receiving a conviction for a sexual offence.
POSSESSION/DISTRIBUTION/CREATION OF INDECENT
Huge problem!
Silly girl sends pic. Or boy sends p of private parts, this gets sent around.
THREATS TO KILL–
Common for children to be arrested for the above now.
Mobile phones a scourge
So it has gone or is about to go wrong- what are your child’s rights?
STOP AND SEARCH
PACE- 1994
POLICE AND CRIMINAL EVIDENCE ACT 1994
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
But remember- although they are your rights you have to be smart with them…because they are abused-because the police know full well- suing the police is a difficult and expensive course of action to take- many want to sue and the bottom line is they can’t afford to pay for a lawyer. The average cost is £225-£350 per hour. Legal aid decimated.
- YOU’VE BEEN STOPPED BY THE POLICE.
A policeman can stop you if he is in uniform.
If he is not in uniform and stops you he must show you his warrant card.
A PCSO – must be in uniform when they stop and search you.
In the first instance, the police should only stop you if they have a reason to believe you are involved in a crime.
They must be able to tell you what the reason for stopping you is.
They can ask you:-
What your name is
What you are doing in the area
Where you are going
- SILENCE– You don’t have to answer their questions. But- a word of caution-likely to be arrested anyway under suspicion of “immigration” offences!
- POLICE POWERS – a police officer has powers to stop AND search you if they have reasonable grounds to suspect that you’re carrying:-
- Illegal drugs
- A weapon
- Stolen property
- Something which can be used to commit a crime such as a crowbar.
You can only be stopped and searched without reasonable suspicion if it has been approved by a senior officer- known as s.60 orders which are currently in place in areas such as Haringey, Brent, Lambeth e.g. being carnival- Prevention of Crime
If it is suspected that :-
Serious crime could take place
You’re carrying a weapon or have used one
You’re in a specific location or area – for instance carnival or now- given the spate of knife crime.
- BEFORE YOU ARE SEARCHED
Before you are searched the officer must tell you:-
Their name and police station
What they expect to find for e.g drugs
The reason they want to search you, e.g if it looks like you are trying to hide something
Why they are legally allowed to search you
That you can have a record of the search and if this is not possible how you can get a copy
- REMOVING CLOTHING/INTIMATE SEARCHES
In the street you can only be asked to remove your coat, jackets, hats and gloves. You can also be asked to take off a veil or a turban- but this must be out of public view
If they want to search you more intimately this must be done at a police station. They must also be the same sex as you.
If you are strip searched there must be more than one officer present of at least the same sex as you. They cannot insert anything into you but if they suspect you have swallowed drugs they will place you in a room until nature has taken its course. And then collect any deposits!
- IF DETAINED AND OR ARRESTED
If the police decide to detain you they must tell you why and that you are being.
At this point you have the right to speak to a solicitor privately.
Do not say another word from the moment you are arrested. Everything you say will be recorded and this can be used against you. (Caution)
Please be live to the fact though, that these above rights are abused on a daily basis by the police.
AT THE POLICE STATION
- Arrested -rights
- Detained – rights
- Custody clock
- Cells
- Appropriate Adult – Your role is not just to sit there. you are there to protect their rights.
- You can challenge the police and the solicitor if you think that your child is unable to be interviewed or does not understand what is going on.
- How long can they be held for- up to 24 hours. Unusual for a juvenile. But when serious, it’s possible.
- Can apply for an extension up to 72 hours after that charge or release.
Legal Aid – A word of caution. There is a shortage of firms willing to take on legal aid cases. Children are usually entitled to this legal representation.
