'voluntary' curfew launched on kids in Cornish town...

[Misdemeanor]

A pioneering curfew aiming at keeping children under 16 off the streets at night is being launched in a Cornish town. Police officers and local authority officials, some wearing head cameras to gather evidence, will patrol an area of Redruth and stop all youngsters of 15 and under who are out unsupervised after 9pm, and all under-10s out after 8pm.

Officers say the campaign, codenamed Operation Goodnight, will help tackle antisocial behaviour, but some human rights activists are worried that the drive will target blameless youngsters out enjoying the long summer evenings.

Police will contact parents or carers and tell them they do not think the children should be out so late.

If the parents do not act, agencies such as social services and housing officials will be brought in, with action then taken against families.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jul/09/ukcrime.children

What next?!!!!

[vyper]

Totally the wrong way of dealing with the issues they are trying to tackle

[madz]

Small town cornwall mentality (!)

[han d]

There's going to be a proportion of kids there who would actually be worse off being kept at home - some of them are probably escaping horrific situations, but I guess it's easier to make an overall assumption than to look at each case individually.

[Misdemeanor]

It also assumes that all kids are trouble. Not very fair, even if there are hundreds of the shitty type who'll happily throw a brick thru your windscreen. You can't tar everyone with the same brush imo.

[DJ Chemical]

soon they will be asked to stay in their bedrooms all evening and being made to play computer games all night. make the place safer so that kids can go outside, duh.