THE police say a hard core of 200 youngsters are fuelling anti-social behaviour in York. The council says a hard core of school pupils are behaving worse than ever before.

It doesn't take a degree in social sciences to realise that, in many cases, they will be talking about the same children.

How encouraging to see two major agencies at the sharp end of youth offending, the police and the education authority, staring this issue straight in the eye.

York residents have said for years that they know the names of the young troublemakers who make their lives so miserable. And they have complained that nothing is ever done about them.

Now the police have identified the youngsters who cause most of the bother. They are under surveillance, and in the justice system.

Meanwhile, City Of York Council's Murray Rose has introduced a range of initiatives to improve the behaviour of the most disobedient pupils.

All this is good news for well-behaved children in York. First it confirms that they are in the vast majority - a fact often overlooked. Second, any success at curbing their disruptive classmates can only enhance their school life.

Traditionalists will be cynical about schemes with conspicuously modern names such as "therapeutic lunchtime clubs" and "chill-out anger management groups". But they address the heart of the problem: parental attention deficit disorder.

Most vandals and yobs are created by irresponsible and neglectful parents. Clich has it that inattentive mothers and fathers are always from poorer backgrounds; but as Mr Rose points out, better-off parents who both work long hours and frequently abandon their children to the bedroom Play Station and DVD player can be equally culpable.

And here is an undeniable truth. Any effective strategy to tackle youth offending must begin by bringing parents to account.

Updated: 10:37 Wednesday, June 09, 2004