Drunken children will be forced to undergo rehab

The Independent

Summary
The ministers announced today that when the police runs in to a child that is drunk regularly, they will order this child to go into rehabilitation. This will help stir them away from alcohol. These children will undergo compulsory treatment sessions with counsellors who will inform them on the health risks en how they can stop drinking. This program is based on successful adult programmes that helped cut drink-related crime in half.

Teenagers that are caught abusing alcohol will be given Asbos. This means that they will have curfews and alcohol bans, or will be put on acceptable behaviour contracts. Their parents could be required to follow parenting courses or they can even be prosecuted. The Youth Alcohol Action Plan will create a new criminal offence for under-18s who are caught drinking in public. But a spokesman for Alcohol Concern said that he believes that these young people with drink problems need support and advice, not a criminal record.

Opinion
I think that the spokesman for Alcohol Concern is right when he says that children with a drink problem need support and advise, not a criminal record. A criminal record is not the answer in this case. These children just need to know what the dangers of alcohol abuse are. They need structure and rules that will help them to stay away from alcohol.

The rehabilitation is a good idea. There the children can get the support they need. It is just the part of the criminal record that concerns me. Children are still learning how the world works; they are experimenting with everything that life has to offer. They should not be punished for making a bad decision. They should be told that making a bad decision is not going to determent who they are going to be for the rest of their lives. And that they two can make things right again.