Police cautions to be scrapped

[mudskipper]

BBC News - Police cautions 'to be scrapped' in England and Wales

Guess this means a 14 year old who gets into a scrap, or has a joint, or scratches his name on a park bench, or nicks a mars bar from the 7-11 will now get criminalised instead.

Edit: Sounds like "community resolution" does not mean a criminal record.

But also sounds like the whole thing's happening because the caution system has been used inappropriately - surely that's the problem that needs addressing rather than 'toughening up' on cautions.

[IR35 Avoider]

Haven't read the link, but I thought accepting a police caution did give you a criminal record? I've often read of people accepting them only because they didn't realise this.

[BolshieBastard]

Pisses me right off these 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 & 17 year olds who escape being named 'for legal reasons.' **** that, get them named.

[BrilloPad]

Children want to behave like adults so let them be treated by adults.

Some of the issues the UK and West faces are down to tolerance of bad behaviour. I remember when I went to HK the South China morning post had page 3 as election poster gets torn.

We tolerate way too much bad behaviour - time to change that or watch the UK continue going downhill.

[NotAllThere]

Haven't read the link, but I thought accepting a police caution did give you a criminal record? I've often read of people accepting them only because they didn't realise this.

Sort of. It's an admission of guilt that is recorded and can be used if you ever appear in court.

[centurian]

Sort of. It's an admission of guilt that is recorded and can be used if you ever appear in court.

And can appear on a DBS check, no matter how long ago, or how minor

However, DBS are starting to filter out some of the minor ones. Initially, they would put everything on there - and let the employers use their discretion - the trouble is - a lot of employers didn't use any discretion at all - because that would actually require them to do some thinking - so refuse employment to someone with a 30 year old caution for a trivial offence totally unrelated to the role.

[SueEllen]

Pisses me right off these 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 & 17 year olds who escape being named 'for legal reasons.' **** that, get them named.

Thing is while you and I may not know who they are people who live in their communities do. So unless their parents move away everyone who they live near knows who they are.