Calls for cutting prosecutions for children in care are pushed in the U.K. after many complaints of misdemeanors in the behavior of these children were regarded as merely trivial. Reviewing the Prison Reform Trusts led to calling out the government to draw up some form of protection that will avoid children in care's minor offenses from being criminalized.
Very Minor Offenses
According to BBC, many of the minor offenses of these children have been overly represented in courts. These offenses are so minor that parents wouldn't normally criminalize them if they occur within their homes.
Many people believe that since these offenses, which range from kicking doors, squirting gel or toothpaste on the carpet, to using foul language against foster care staff, should not be made as grounds for prosecution of children in care. For the past years, many calls to the police regarding these offenses were mainly made up of these minor misbehaviors.
'In Care, Out Of Trouble'
The report, "In Care, Out of Trouble," by Lord Laming, states that about half of the children in England who have been in custody, used to be in care, otherwise known as "looked after children," said Red Bridge. It also stated that these children in care's "challenging" behavior are dealt with in family homes, and there isn't a compelling need for these children to be prosecuted for such offenses.
One spokesperson for the government said that there are rules that safeguard the type of misdemeanors by which these children in care should be prosecuted. One clear rule was that there won't be any prosecution for a child who is living in a children's home for something he did, which would not be concerning the police authorities if such happened within the family home.
Crime Not High
Although crime among the youth is not that high, there are still children who keep on committing the offense over and over again. In addition, the care they receive at these care facilities is not good enough.
To address the concerns raised in Laming's report, such minor offenses must not be addressed through court prosecution, but must be referred to in welfare agencies. Through this, there would be lesser calls that police will receive for these minor and trivial offenses.
