Petition · Department for Education
Make the teaching of criminal offences & their consequences compulsory in school
Closed
1,056 signatures
What the petition asks
We want the government to include criminal law within the national curriculum for all schools within PSHE. We want students to be taught what is illegal, thinking/reasoning around crime and how to avoid criminal situations as they get older.
We think we need to prepare and safeguard students and make law accessible to children in a way they understand.
We feel that too many children enter the criminal justice system due to a lack of knowledge. We think it is costly and counterproductive of our legal system to prosecute our young people (causing what can be devastating implications to them/their families) when we feel they are not provided with the legal knowledge and thinking/reasoning skills to enable them to make informed, law-abiding decisions. We think this could safeguard young people, reduce crime and reduce the burden on charities, criminal justice system and the tax payer.
We feel that too many children enter the criminal justice system due to a lack of knowledge. We think it is costly and counterproductive of our legal system to prosecute our young people (causing what can be devastating implications to them/their families) when we feel they are not provided with the legal knowledge and thinking/reasoning skills to enable them to make informed, law-abiding decisions. We think this could safeguard young people, reduce crime and reduce the burden on charities, criminal justice system and the tax payer.
Timeline
| 18 Mar 2025 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 18 Sep 2025 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
1,056
Status
Closed
Department
Department for Education
Opened
18 Mar 2025
Closed
18 Sep 2025
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 1 Aug 2026.