ANY sensible scheme with the aim of stopping young people from falling into a pattern of re-offending should be welcomed.

That’s why we are encouraged to find out that Hampshire’s Community Court is coming to Basingstoke, as reported on page four of today’s edition.

The pilot scheme started six months ago in the south of the county, and involves youngsters volunteering to take on the roles of judge and jury for their peers who have found themselves in trouble.

It is the brainchild of PC Mark Walsh, who became frustrated in seeing the same young faces in trouble when he was a bobby on the beat in Portsmouth.

Based on similar schemes in the United States, Hampshire’s three-year trial is the only one of its kind in this country.

Cases would only go to the peer court if the victim agrees to it, and the organisers have been keen to stress that the most serious offences, where police would be looking to charge someone, would never end up in the community court.

The outcomes of cases involve the young person agreeing to carry out an activity related to their crime, such as raising money for a charity, to the value of a stolen item, or writing an essay on drug use.

PC Walsh believes that the scheme will prove to be effective because young people are more likely to listen to their peers than an adult in a courtroom.

Others, though, have called it a gimmick that trivialises offences.

What do you think? It would be interesting to read your thoughts on this attempt at stopping young people from falling into a life of crime.