Potential young offenders will be targeted by police in a new initiative to cut youth crime, it was reported today.
A scheme to give schools a full-time police presence is to be extended and police will share information on youngsters who are at risk with other agencies working with children, such as education and social services.
The BBC reports the moves are part of a strategy for reducing youth crime in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, unveiled by the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo).
Acpo believes identifying young people who could fall into crime early on could have a big impact on cutting youth crime. It says many young people who come on to the police radar are not known to other agencies.
Acpo spokesman Essex Chief Constable Roger Baker told the BBC: "While a small proportion of young people commit crime, some of them go on to become prolific offenders and cause great suffering and misery in our communities.
"It is vital that we have processes in place to identify these young people early in their criminal careers and develop the best youth justice practice to divert them from crime into more positive activities and lifestyles."
Senior officers believe that if police share information with children's services then youngsters at risk of committing crime can be monitored and helped.
There are also plans to extend the Safer School Partnerships scheme where some schools are staffed with a full-time police officer.
Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker told the BBC he welcomed Acpo's strategy.
He told the broadcaster: "In particular, I support the emphasis placed on prevention and engaging young people in their communities to identify and support those at risk."
Earlier this week plans were unveiled to install airport-style metal detectors to curb knife crime at some of the country's toughest secondary schools.
The issue of youth crime was raised once again last week when three teenagers were convicted of murdering father-of-three Garry Newlove, who confronted them after they vandalised his wife's car.
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Children targeted)
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