ORPINGTON'S MP wants "rapid justice" for the borough's 24 most persistent young offenders.

John Horam has called for overnight courts to deal with the problem of persistent young offenders who are responsible for 12 per cent of offences committed by Bromley youths.

Bromley's Youth Offending Team recognises 24 young people, aged between 10 and 17, in the borough as persistent young offenders who have committed an average of 4.5 offences at each conviction.

Mr Horam said: "These offenders should be dealt with quickly. We need rapid justice because these youths just commit further crimes while out on bail.

"New York has overnight courts and this is something which could work in Bromley.

"We want rapid justice. We need offenders to be picked up sooner, dealt with more rapidly and we have to look at the bail problem as well."

Police spokesman Inspector Trevor Crozier agreed, saying the system needs to be tougher.

He said: "The problem is young offenders who commit offences like burglaries, criminal damage and minor assaults get bail. They don't receive any sanction on their behaviour so they continue to commit crimes."

He added: "Police officers feel very frustrated so much of their time is taken up by youth crime and that we arrest people who are not deterred."

The most serious offenders are sent to detention and training centres while the others get community sentences.

Jeremy Shatford, manager of Bromley's youth offending team, said: "Many of these youths have poor parents, a lack of education and, sometimes, learning difficulties.

"We assess each offender, identify any risk elements of the person re-offending and devise a programme to tackle these risks.

"The focus of our work is to confront them with their behaviour and the impact it has on their victims."

THE FACTS

According to Bromley's community safety strategy's crime and disorder audit, nine per cent of the borough's population are youths.

Thirty four per cent of recorded crimes between January 1998 and July 2001 were committed by youths.

The most common youth offence is shoplifting which accounts for 34 per cent of youth crime.

Theft of and from vehicles makes up 13 per cent of youth crime, and violent crime nine per cent.