Let's try New York approach to youth crime

FEW cities have had to wrestle with more serious youth crime problems than New York. The city brought in a fast-track community punishment scheme aimed at having offenders arrested, charged, appear in court, sentenced and on active community service, all in the space of 24 hours. Now Conservative justice spokesman Bill Aitken has called for a similar project to be introduced in Scotland.

The New York scheme is reckoned to have cut crime in midtown Manhattan by 40 per cent. Offenders wear uniforms and signs are posted so the public can see justice in action. A similar scheme here would seem to offer many advantages and would almost certainly be well received by a public that has grown sceptical of the criminal justice process.

It would establish a clear, fast link between crime and punishment, cut down on court costs and paperwork, provide an alternative, in appropriate cases, to a prison sentence and be seen by the public as visible reassurance that the justice system is working. And, to judge by the results in New York, it seems to have a notable deterrent effect.

In Scotland, progress through the court system can be slow, and villains can still enjoy an untroubled lifestyle during the delay between charging and sentencing. A fast-track system would bring quick, effective inconvenience right where it matters most – to the lives of the offenders.

A trial scheme to assess its practicality would be a useful and positive first step.