Fighting Crime (Public Engagement)

We are trying to ensure that all of our systems are effective and simple. We keep the matter of the Criminal Records Bureau under review, and we will act as necessary when it is appropriate to do so. Investment in the youth of the UK is an investment in our future—something with which I know we all agree. We are allocating money to help to prevent young people becoming involved in crime and antisocial behaviour. We will tackle youth crime through early intervention—a point just made by the hon. Gentleman—non-negotiable support and tough enforcement. This summer, that commitment was proved by the publication of the youth crime action plan and the youth alcohol action plan. We are trying to reach young people by using new technologies. The youth knife crime campaign recently allowed us to include an ““It Doesn't Have To Happen”” page on Bebo, the social networking site which is the hub of the campaign. To date, it has 6,143 friends, and has received more than 66,000 visits and 1,320 wall posts. It also uses two viral adverts showing the physical and emotional consequences of carrying a knife. We developed those campaigns in co-operation with young people. We talk about the involvement of the public in tackling crime, and the involvement of young people is an important part of that. The Government need to reflect—as all of us do, sometimes—on the fact that young people have asked us not to communicate with them in the way that we have always communicated with the public. We need to think about the new ways of communicating, such as the internet, and the use of radio stations, TV advertising and digital communication. Those methods will get to young people in a way that more traditional ways of communicating do not. That is what we tried to do through the campaign that I mentioned.