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| Call to scrap 'anti-teen' device | Call to scrap 'anti-teen' device |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A high-pitched device used to disperse teenagers is being challenged by campaigners, who say it is not a fair way to treat young people. | A high-pitched device used to disperse teenagers is being challenged by campaigners, who say it is not a fair way to treat young people. |
| There are estimated to be 3,500 of the devices, known as the Mosquito, in use across the country. | There are estimated to be 3,500 of the devices, known as the Mosquito, in use across the country. |
| Their sound causes discomfort to young ears - but their frequency is above the normal hearing range of people over 25. | Their sound causes discomfort to young ears - but their frequency is above the normal hearing range of people over 25. |
| The Children's Commissioner for England says they should be scrapped as they infringe the rights of young people. | The Children's Commissioner for England says they should be scrapped as they infringe the rights of young people. |
| The devices, which exploit the fact that a person's ability to hear high frequencies generally declines once they reach their 20s, have proved popular with councils and police who aim to tackle anti-social behaviour by using them to disperse groups of youths. | The devices, which exploit the fact that a person's ability to hear high frequencies generally declines once they reach their 20s, have proved popular with councils and police who aim to tackle anti-social behaviour by using them to disperse groups of youths. |
| But a new campaign called "Buzz off", led by the Children's Commissioner for England and backed by groups including civil liberties group Liberty, is calling for them to be scrapped. | But a new campaign called "Buzz off", led by the Children's Commissioner for England and backed by groups including civil liberties group Liberty, is calling for them to be scrapped. |
| What type of society uses a low-level sonic weapon on its children? Shami ChakrabartiLiberty Firm defends teen deterrent | What type of society uses a low-level sonic weapon on its children? Shami ChakrabartiLiberty Firm defends teen deterrent |
| The organisations want to highlight what they call the "increasingly negative" way society views and deals with children and young people. | The organisations want to highlight what they call the "increasingly negative" way society views and deals with children and young people. |
| Sir Al Aynsley-Green, Children's Commissioner for England, said he had spoken to many young people who had been "deeply affected" by the deterrents. | Sir Al Aynsley-Green, Children's Commissioner for England, said he had spoken to many young people who had been "deeply affected" by the deterrents. |
| He said: "These devices are indiscriminate and target all children and young people, including babies, regardless of whether they are behaving or misbehaving. | He said: "These devices are indiscriminate and target all children and young people, including babies, regardless of whether they are behaving or misbehaving. |
| "The use of measures such as these are simply demonising children and young people, creating a dangerous and widening divide between the young and the old." | "The use of measures such as these are simply demonising children and young people, creating a dangerous and widening divide between the young and the old." |
| He also argued that such an approach was "not addressing the root cause" of anti-social behaviour. | He also argued that such an approach was "not addressing the root cause" of anti-social behaviour. |
| Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti said the device had no place in a country which values its children. | Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti said the device had no place in a country which values its children. |
| Device emits a tone between 17.5kHz and 18.5kHz inaudible to people over about 25 yearsTone can be heard from a distance of 15-20mExposure to sound becomes annoying after 5-10 minutesSound automatically shuts off after 20 minutes | |
| "What type of society uses a low-level sonic weapon on its children? Imagine the outcry if a device was introduced that caused blanket discomfort to people of one race or gender, rather than to our kids," she said. | "What type of society uses a low-level sonic weapon on its children? Imagine the outcry if a device was introduced that caused blanket discomfort to people of one race or gender, rather than to our kids," she said. |
| Article Eight of the Human Rights Act 1998 states: "Everyone has the right to a respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence." | Article Eight of the Human Rights Act 1998 states: "Everyone has the right to a respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence." |
| It says: "There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health of morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others." | It says: "There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health of morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others." |
| A Liberty spokeswoman said: "The use of the Mosquito devices constitutes a disproportionate interference with an individual's right to a private life. | |
| "The device does not discriminate between bad apples and the vast majority of youngsters who are law abiding." | "The device does not discriminate between bad apples and the vast majority of youngsters who are law abiding." |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Screaming kids frequently cause 'discomfort' to my ears. If it gets rid of the little brats, I am all for it Bill, Southampton href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=4272=1=20080212093436">Send us your comments | |
| Work towards a ban on the use of Mosquito devices in Scotland has been under way since last year. | Work towards a ban on the use of Mosquito devices in Scotland has been under way since last year. |
| Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People is pursuing the issue with the Scottish Government, the police, supermarkets and the manufacturers. | Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People is pursuing the issue with the Scottish Government, the police, supermarkets and the manufacturers. |
| But Association of Convenience Stores chief executive James Lowman said the body would "fully support" the use of the device as a "last resort" in situations where staff and customers were intimidated by anti-social youths. | |
| Mr Lowman, whose association represents 33,000 local shops, said: "Removing the ability to use tools like Mosquitoes will make life harder for retailers that face real problems. | |
| "It would also reinforce the retailer's view that whilst many in government are quick to blame the retailer for anti-social problems created by gangs of youths, they are unwilling to make those same young people accountable for their own actions." | |
| Releasing energy | |
| Mr Lowman said he had written to the children's commissioner and the children's minister, calling for a balanced approach that did not remove deterrents but ensured they were used appropriately. | |
| Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Local Government Association said councils used an array of techniques to disperse groups of youths. | Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Local Government Association said councils used an array of techniques to disperse groups of youths. |
| He said: "It is imperative that local people work with their local council to ensure the most appropriate technique for ensuing that not only anti-social behaviour is dispersed but also that children have somewhere to go to release their energy in a safe place which does not disturb or annoy residents." | He said: "It is imperative that local people work with their local council to ensure the most appropriate technique for ensuing that not only anti-social behaviour is dispersed but also that children have somewhere to go to release their energy in a safe place which does not disturb or annoy residents." |
| The Mosquito's inventor, Howard Stapleton, previously told the BBC the device was proven to be effective. | The Mosquito's inventor, Howard Stapleton, previously told the BBC the device was proven to be effective. |