Seanad debates

Thursday, 24 October 2002

There is a clear perception in the community that youngsters under 16 years of age are not treated in the same way as adults and that a form of softly, softly approach is taken to them. There is truth in this which manifests itself in the syndrome of joyriding with offenders knowing damn well that they can joyride until the cows come home and that, if they get caught, they will be out the following morning thumbing their noses at the law. That is not good. We need an overall crime policy directed at young people, against which no one would argue. There comes a time when the concerns of law abiding citizens equal, if not outweigh, those of the young offender of 14 or 15 years of age.

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