“You are dirty, you are clean”: what kind of “educational work” is this for children under 16?

“If you break it, you fix it. You are dirty, you are clean. You challenge authority, you learn to respect it. “It was with this formula that Gabriel Attal introduced a novelty: educational work (TIE), intended for minors under the age of 16, “to whom today we cannot impose penalties in the form of community service of a general nature (TIG).” The target audience? “These are young people, sometimes very young, who seemed to have already broken ties with our society,” the prime minister said, referring to the young rebels who took part in the unrest last spring.

According to the Prime Minister, these TIEs, presented as equivalent to TIGs, will have the advantage of being easier to obtain. “This will be part of a review of the scope of sanctions in our schools,” he said, “from a very young age.” Last night, neither the Ministry of Justice nor the Ministry of Public Education was able to clarify whether the new TIE, the specific contours of which are yet to be determined, would be subject to disciplinary or criminal liability. Current TIGs are criminal sanctions imposed by a judge to ensure social inclusion without imprisonment. Juveniles between the ages of 16 and 18 who are sentenced to TIG then undertake work or internships with victims’ associations, the fire brigade or another agency.

More judges and clerks

Regarding the other security measures announced, Gabriel Attal is a continuation of policies already implemented. In particular, with the continuation of the Republican Action Force, a system announced by Elizabeth Bourne in October 2023 that aims to restore safety to neighborhoods by providing an end-to-end response – simultaneously legal, educational and social – to the difficulties of residents. “Six days to restore social peace, six weeks to develop a plan of action, six months to act” is the slogan of this system, tested in three cities: Maubeuge (North), Valence (Drôme) and Besançon (Doubs).

There is also continuity in the fight against drug trafficking, with the continuation of “clean-up” operations, which consist of pursuing transaction points, as well as confiscating the assets of drug traffickers. Similarly, in the justice sector, the strengthening of the workforce with an increase in the number of magistrates and clerks (1,500 and 1,800 new posts by 2027 respectively) is sustainable.