London, Parents face tougher fines if their children commit crimes or cause anti-social behaviour under new youth reforms unveiled by the UK government on Monday.Parents to face tougher fines for children’s crimes under UK reformsDeputy Prime Minister David Lammy published a new 'Youth Justice White Paper' to lay out the blueprint for earlier intervention, more targeted support, and tackling the root causes of youth crime.His announcement came as figures show eight out of 10 prolific offenders in Britain committed their first crime as a child, while two-thirds of those released from custody reoffend within a year."Too many young people are being drawn into crime, with devastating consequences for victims, communities and their own futures," said Lammy."These reforms lay the foundation to intervene far earlier, support families, and tackle the drivers of offending so fewer young people become trapped in cycles of crime, creating safer streets and fewer victims," he said.New measures announced this week include piloting new Youth Intervention Courts, which will for the first time bring together judges, youth justice services and specialist support to tackle the drivers of offending and keep young people on track. The courts will also provide intensive supervision and tailored interventions, including health or educational requirements, while closely monitoring compliance to break cycles of repeat reoffending."Parents and carers will also face greater responsibility for children who commit crime or cause anti-social behaviour, recognising the vital role families play in reducing reoffending," the UK's Ministry of Justice said."The government will strengthen and expand Parenting Orders, which can compel parents or guardians to address their child's behaviour – including attending counselling or guidance sessions – or face penalties such as fines," it stated.While very young offenders are often not subject to tough legal action, Parenting Orders are used as a means of encouraging positive family intervention. The expansion of such orders follows data revealing that just over one-third of children sentenced to such community orders in the country reoffended.Under this week's reforms, ministers will also explore strengthening Youth Rehabilitation Orders with intensive supervision and surveillance, allowing electronic monitoring to track their whereabouts alongside robust rehabilitation activity to keep the public safe. However, the government said custody will always remain essential for the most dangerous offenders."Put simply, the youth justice system is not working – not for children, victims and communities blighted by crime. These reforms will modernise the system, keep pace with emerging risks and ensure young offenders get the support they need to turn their lives around, while improving public safety," said UK Minister for Sentencing and Youth Justice Jake Richards.The reforms build on recent action to tackle the most serious issues affecting young people, such as knife crime and violence against women and girls. Every child in England and Wales caught carrying a knife will now be given a mandatory specialised plan to stop them reoffending, part of a government initiative to halve knife crime within a decade.This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.