The British justice system has been slow to respond to the rise in youth crime. It has long been clear that the courts lacked the powers to deal with a hard core of young offenders.

York's unhappy experience of the single-handed teenage crimewave known as Blip Boy was a case in point. By the time he was 17, his convictions filled a small book. Because of his age, the courts proved unable to protect the public from his serial offending.

But now there are encouraging signs that the legal system is getting tougher on juvenile delinquents. Earlier this week three Clifton teenagers were the first in York to receive anti-social behaviour orders.

The three were banned from shops near their homes after the court heard their behaviour had caused distress and financial loss to business people and residents. Their dismay at the sentence proved that this new legal sanction has bite.

Moreover, it was an excellent example of how new crime-busting partnerships can make a difference. The prosecution was brought after a joint operation between North Yorkshire police and City of York Council, using new powers from the Crime and Disorder Act. The resulting conviction sends out a clear message to young tearaways: you are no longer above the law.

Another new partnership, the Youth Offending Team, will hope to be equally effective. Launched this week, it focuses on crime prevention, and brings together the police, probation service, health authority and the voluntary sector.

Every effort must be made to stop young people turning to crime. Meanwhile, probation orders can be an effective penalty for those who do break the law.

But persistent offending calls for harsher measures. That is why the courts were right to sentence a 15-year-old thief to four months behind bars after he flouted an attendance order. He was given a last chance to avoid custody and ignored it. The fact that he is now locked up is a welcome sign that the courts are getting tough with juvenile criminals.

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