Sentenced to surf
Crime and punishment, it's all relative. A brush with the law is nothing more for most of us than a speeding fine or curt telling off, but we're a very privileged bunch...
Words & photos: Carly Lorente
Grommets are accountable for up to 22% of Europe's crime, and for those persistent or dangerous offenders a spell in a detention centre is the norm. But the effectiveness of the traditional criminal justice system is up for debate: after all, the logic of bundling vulnerable kids into an environment where they're locked up with more hardened characters has always seemed rather warped. So it's good to see the French authorities exploring alternatives.
Kids from all over France are being sent to a detention centre on the Basque coast for behavioural rehabilitation. Most of these kids come from broken homes, some have never seen the ocean before, and few have ever set foot in a classroom. Their crimes range from violence and drug abuse to theft and homicide. And for all of them, this is their last chance to redeem themselves before prison. Their punishment? Three months of surf lessons.
