Young people need to be listened to, not talked at;
There is a lot more to the PSNI’s Operation Exposure than the issue of children’s rights, says Phil Scraton
In a Comment piece in the Belfast Telegraph Phil Scraton draws our attention to the Police Service Northern Ireland’s Operation Exposure and concludes:
Our research has shown that vilification, condemnation and criminalisation creates a climate of rejection in which children and young people use violence against others and themselves.
This is not simply a matter of children’s rights to be negotiated by state institutions. It is a fundamental issue of social, political and economic exclusion where inadequate, essential services fail to meet the complex needs of children’s lives.
Central to a progressive strategy is the inclusion of the voices, experiences and frustrations of children and young people. Only by listening to and accommodating their hopes and aspirations and by including them in all decisions that affect their lives, can a real opportunity be created for community stability.
