Children given lessons in how to avoid street attacks

The dark winter nights and a general rise in children carrying expensive electronic equipment on them is a bad combination, the Home Office warned this week. Hazel Blears, Home Office Minister, is expected to announce a 12% rise in muggings in England and Wales. And part of the problem is that more children are falling victim to street crime.

Now that iPods and mobile phones are common teen and pre-teen accessories, it's not uncommon for the average child to go out with hundreds of pounds of equipment on them. That makes them attractive to muggers. The answer: teach children how to protect themselves against street crime.

Thousands of school packs are being issued advising children not to get their iPods or mobiles out in public, and to travel in groups if they're going out in the dark.

• Child Safety
  
• What Our Members Are Discussing Today
  
• This Week's News