And this is a policy change, how?

The BBC are reporting that

"Youngsters would not face prosecution for minor crimes and anti-social behaviour under a new Liberal Democrat crime strategy for England.

The party said custody for youngsters should be a "last resort" as it was expensive and ineffective.

Instead offenders would appear before panels of local people to apologise, and pay the cost of damage caused."

So there is a political party more limp-wristed towards criminals than the current Labour government...