10/10/2007

Most Children 'Are Victims Of Crime'

Most children have been the victim of some form of crime, a survey by the charity, the Howard League for Penal Reform has revealed.

The survey of more than 3,000 children, conducted between 1997 and 2006, found that around 95% of respondents had suffered some form of victimisation.

More than 70% said that they had been assaulted, while 57% had had property deliberately damaged at school and 49% had had their property stolen at school.

More than half said that they had been threatened on at least one occasion, while 46% claimed that they had suffered racist abuse.

The Howard League said that most incidents were low-level offences, which took place in schools and playgrounds.

However, 18% of respondents reported that they had been the victim of theft on their way home from school.

Two-thirds of respondents said that they had reported incidents to their parents, while 28% had gone to police.

Howard League director Frances Crook said: "Ironically, the very institutions where children should feel safest - their school environments set up and patrolled by adults - are where children are most commonly victimised."

The children surveyed suggested that introducing more local activities, such as skate parks and youth clubs, could reduce crime.

(KMcA)


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