Naming of young criminals

Speedy · 01-09-2007, 21:52

Should anyone who commits and gets charged with a criminal offence be named and shamed regardless of age? Opinions please.

WillowTheWhisp · 01-09-2007, 21:59

Yes, if they are old enough to commit a crime I think they are old enough to be named.

Lilly · 01-09-2007, 22:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Speedy

Should anyone who commits and gets charged with a criminal offence be named and shamed regardless of age? Opinions please.

What is currently the age at which people can be named and shamed?

garinda · 01-09-2007, 22:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lilly

What is currently the age at which people can be named and shamed?

I think, but am not sure, that people can be named if they are over sixteen.

Lilly · 01-09-2007, 22:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

I think, but am not sure, that people can be named if they are over sixteen.

The lads who killed James Bulger were named though, weren't they? They were only 10. Is that because it was such a serious crime or something?

garinda · 01-09-2007, 22:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lilly

The lads who killed James Bulger were named though, weren't they? They were only 10. Is that because it was such a serious crime or something?

I don't know. The other week the Observer named two of the idiots who sprayed racist graffiti on churches in Rishton, but didn't name the girl who did it with them because she was sixteen, as opposed to her acomplices age of seventeen.

As to the question if publishing names is a good idea. Don't forget that we live in a relatively small area, with quite a good local press, and even if somone doesn't pay for their TV licence, we all get to read about it, and go tut-tut.

I've lived in cities most of my life, and trust me the press there aren't going to publish the names of every chav who vandalises a lampost. You can do anything in cities, and the anonymity means that no one is ever going to find out about it, as the press don't have the time, or space, to print all but the most heinous crimes.

Never mind Prom Special supplements, the Accy Observer would have to have pull-outs as big as the Yellow Pages.

hedman2003 · 01-09-2007, 22:36

I think that anybody over the age of 13 who is found guilty of a crime should be named and shamed in the local press with photographs of them, although I accept is the danger that they become a badge of honour to some in our society as with the ASBO's

However if the courts had real power and the will to use it and the police had a zero tolerance attitude to the anti social behaviour on our streets then we would all feel the benefit

BERNADETTE · 01-09-2007, 22:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by hedman2003

I think that anybody over the age of 13 who is found guilty of a crime should be named and shamed in the local press with photographs of them, although I accept is the danger that they become a badge of honour to some in our society as with the ASBO's

However if the courts had real power and the will to use it and the police had a zero tolerance attitude to the anti social behaviour on our streets then we would all feel the benefit

You have just answered a question I was going to ask, are we talking about charged or cautioned? Even in this day and age I think that for some kids being cautioned by the police is enough to prevent them from going on to commit more crime. I also think as you do that some kids if named and shamed would wear it like a badge of honour. As to the solution, I really don't know.

garinda · 01-09-2007, 22:52

As stated earlier, most of our cities don't have a 'local press' for these names to be published in.

Current population of Greater London is just over 7.5 million people, and they have one local paper, the Evening Standard, therefore it just isn't feasible.

cashman · 02-09-2007, 00:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE

You have just answered a question I was going to ask, are we talking about charged or cautioned? Even in this day and age I think that for some kids being cautioned by the police is enough to prevent them from going on to commit more crime. I also think as you do that some kids if named and shamed would wear it like a badge of honour. As to the solution, I really don't know.

think hedman is talking charged as he says "found guilty" i know for fact that being cautioned is enough for some kids,but to me thats cos the parents are ok and that is one of the biggest factors to me.

ossy kid · 02-09-2007, 04:07

Of course they should be named and I will go along with 13 years old. Maybe then the parents will take more notice of where their kids are and what they are up to.

mani · 02-09-2007, 04:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lilly

The lads who killed James Bulger were named though, weren't they? They were only 10. Is that because it was such a serious crime or something?

"At the close of the trial, the judge ruled that their names should be released (probably because of the widely publicised nature of the murder and the public reaction to it), and they were identified by name in the account of their convictions, along with lengthy descriptions of their lives and backgrounds."

wikipedia

mani · 02-09-2007, 05:00

you know when i read that on wiki of how it all happened it just brings back so many angry emotions even still. a two year old killed by two stupid kids.

WillowTheWhisp · 02-09-2007, 07:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

As stated earlier, most of our cities don't have a 'local press' for these names to be published in.

Good point but what I was thinking of was more along the lines of when a crime is reported in the papers they should say "Fred Bloggs, aged 14" instead "a 14 year old youth who cannot be named for legal reasons" has been found guilty of XYZ.

WillowTheWhisp · 02-09-2007, 08:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by hedman2003

I think that anybody over the age of 13 who is found guilty of a crime should be named and shamed ..............

I think the same should go for anyone no matter what the age too. Sometimes we get reports of people who are accused of a crime and later proved innocent but the mud still sticks.