THE problem of juvenile nuisance is a curse on many communities, but a new scheme to curb it, now being tried and extended in East Lancashire, seems to go effectively to the core of the problem - alerting the parents to their children's behaviour.

For though lack of parental responsibility is often cited for the anti-social actions of youngsters, the fact is that parents cannot always know what their children are up to when they are out. But they can do something about it if they are told.

This, it appears, lies behind the 80 per cent plunge in anti-social incidents in Blackburn after parents of youngsters were warned by letter by the police in a scheme that targets trouble spots. As a result, the tactics are to be extended to the Ribble Valley.

If it works - and it certainly seems to - let's have more of it in even more places.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.