THREE mature students are on a criminology course at Blackburn College are sitting on the panel which punishes youths who offend.
Emma Slater, Fiona Dunn and Nazeem Mirza are working towards a BA in the subject and sit on the Blackburn Youth Offending Panel -- the first of its kind in the country.
The three join a cross section of the community which decides on punishment for offenders between 10 and 17.
Mum-of-four Emma, of Carr Road, Darwen, had no qualifications when she applied for a place on the Blackburn College course and her experience on the panel ensured she was granted a place.
She added: "Under the Crime and Disorder Act the age of criminal responsibility was lowered from 14 to 10 in the light of the Bulger case. Although the law also puts the blame on parents it's difficult to answer how do you make a parent responsible. It's sad but the truth is that a lot of parents just don't know how to parent."
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