Frustrated police are pressing for new powers to dish out "instant justice" to yobs - powers described as the "modern equivalent of a clip round the ear from the local bobby".
But this wouldn't be a return to the days of Dixon of Dock Green - it would be a clip with a kick.
The 21st century version would include giving officers the right to ban youths from an area where they had caused trouble, powers to stop them seeing dodgy mates for a period of up to three months (good luck trying!), and making culprits clean up mess they have made.
Police also want to be able to tackle knife crime by enabling "reasonable suspicion" for stop and search to be based on previous convictions, as well as sanctions to deal with yob drivers.
The Association of Chief Police Officers says the proposals would take powers currently administered in the courts straight to the streets.
"We could move from the police referring and the courts sentencing to the police solving and the courts providing scrutiny," an ACPO spokesman said.
