Enough is enough! Young offenders need proper supervision, not just a slap on the wrist.

I saw young Jamie the other week, you know, the lad whose mum I used to teach, Sarah? He’s only 17 and already he’s been done for shoplifting twice. Sarah’s at her wits end. He’s not a bad kid, just bored and falling in with the wrong crowd. The magistrates gave him a caution, but what does that really mean to a lad like him? It feels like we’re just pushing these kids further down a bad road.

We need to take a serious look at what we’re doing with young offenders. A slap on the wrist isn't a deterrent. We need more structured programmes that focus on rehabilitation and addressing the root causes of their behaviour, whether that’s lack of opportunity, family issues, or something else. This could involve mandatory community service that actually means something – not just picking up litter for an hour, but something that benefits the community and teaches responsibility.