Letters: Criminalisation of innocent children - The Guardian 21st March 2008

From research figures, at least half of the "1,000 children" (Doctors and schools to spot 1,000 children at risk of turning to crime, March 19) are likely to be mentally impaired with such problems as clinical depression, autism, psychosis, suicidal tendencies and personality disorders. Further, from the government's own evaluation reports of "sin bin" projects for intensive family support, 80% of the families targeted had serious mental health and learning disability problems. Against this sort of background, are not the attentions of "assertive and persistent key worker" mentors under the new government schemes risible, unless they are qualified to deal with mental health problems, and is not the asbo enforcement mechanism proposed a formula for criminalising innocent 10-year-olds?

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