ARMY OF TEEN CRIMINALS COST US POUNDS 700M A YEAR

YOUNG criminals cost Scotland more than pounds 700million a year - with
drug-related crime up by 280 per cent in just six years.

Only two per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds are responsible for a shocking 20
per cent of the crime wave, which was reported to the Scottish Cabinet
yesterday.

The Cabinet has given Children's Minister Sam Galbraith three months to
draw up proposals to tackle the offenders at the heart of the youth crime
wave.

One in five Scots between 16 and 24 has at least one criminal conviction,
with boys more likely to offend than girls, Ministers heard.

But most commit only one or two offences, leaving a core of hardened
criminals responsible for a large proportion of crime.

The total cost of youth crime is pounds 730million a year and Ministers are
looking for long-term solutions.

A spokesman for First Minister Donald Dewar said: "The figures show young
people between 16 and 24 are responsible for 40 per cent of all crime, and
among children from eight to 16, there are 40,000 referrals a year to the
Children's Panel. That means around half of all crime is committed by young
people."

The Cabinet's plans will concentrate on hard-core persistent offenders and
one tactic may involve referring 16 to 18-year-olds to Children's Panels,
which have a range of community disposals.

Dewar's spokesman said: "It has become clear that early offending can often
lead to persistent offending and adult crime.

"We think the Children's Panel system is good, but some changes are
required to it. Putting kids into residential care or secure care is the
most expensive option.

"The most effective option is keeping them in the community and tackling
behaviour at source."

Drug-related offences committed by young people have soared by a staggering
280 per cent between 1991 and 1997 and Greater Glasgow Health Board have
estimated the city's 8500 heroin injectors are responsible for a crime wave
costing around pounds 500,000 a year.

If the resources are not available immediately to implement the plans drawn
up to tackle youth crime, preparatory work will continue so they are ready
for the next round of the Government's spending review in two years' time.

Last night, Scottish Tory Leader David McLetchie said they would back plans
to tackle crime and protect young people.

But he said a first step should have been to increase the number of police
officers.

He added: "The Scottish Conservatives will stand shoulder to shoulder on
the front line to fight crime in all its forms and to promote and protect
young people's interests.

"We would be more convinced the Labour Executive was taking the problem
really seriously if their first announcement was a decision that more
police than ever before would be seen back working in our communities."

An SNP spokesman welcomed the move towards more community sentences and
added: "That is very much in line with our own thinking.

"It is important to move towards a non-custodial approach.

"One of the problems with the present system is that locking up young
people can create persistent offenders.

"We have to break that link."