COVID 'ghost children' prone to violence, may 'cause huge crimewave'
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Experts warn that a generation of "ghost children" who have given up on school since Covid-19 are at risk of turning to crime due to neglect of their futures by authorities.
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Students at a high school in the UK (AFP)
Failure to get children back to school after the pandemic could lead to the creation of thousands more violent offenders, according to analysis.
Experts warn that a generation of "ghost children" who have given up on school since Covid-19 are at risk of turning to crime due to neglect of their futures by authorities.
Calculations based on official studies suggest that up to 9,000 more young offenders, including 2,000 violent criminals, could be on the streets of Britain by 2027 as a result of increased school absence. The surge in offending could cost taxpayers £100 million.
Persistent absence from school has doubled since the pandemic, with 1.7 million pupils now missing at least 10% of school time. MPs and campaigners accuse the government of not taking the issue seriously enough, and there are concerns about the impact of mental health problems and the culture of staying at home during lockdown.
The Center for Social Justice think tank has called for increased efforts to protect the public and help at-risk children through mentoring programs and better attendance tracking.
While government research does not prove a causal link between missing school and offending, experts argue that teenagers without the structure of education are more likely to be drawn into criminal activities. The government has pledged a mentoring scheme, but advocates say it needs to be expanded further to address the issue effectively.
