Tougher laws to fight youth crime

Justice Minister Rachida Dati has set in motion sweeping reforms to youth law to fight runaway juvenile delinquency in France.

Mrs Dati said the 1945 youth laws are too lax and too many teenage criminals are getting off the hook for serious offences.

She said: “The French public has doubts about the effectiveness of justice.
“Many believe youths get away with breaking the law.

“The reform of the 1945 laws is something the French public expects to happen.”
Mrs Dati has called for a complete overhaul of the law which she said has “lost its relevance and efficiency.”

She has convened a working group of 30 members, including lawyers, judges, politicians from all parties and child psychologists with the aim of putting forward reform proposals by November.

A spokesman for the group said: “The proposals when they are made will be respectful of the balance needed between the interests of children and the security of the French state.”

Last year, 18% of criminal offenders were children under the age of 18 – a 150% increase since 1997.

In 1945, when the current laws were drafted, one youth in 166 came to the attention of police for a criminal offence. By 2006 one in 30 children had committed offences.

Of these, 43% were for theft and burglary, 22% for violent offences and 34% for “attacks on the public peace”, which includes drug offences.

The working group spokesmen added that there had been a marked increase in sexual offences committed by under-13s.

Currently French judges can only impose sentences of re-education on the youngest of offenders.