A Conservative MLA is calling for changes to federal legislation that would see children under age 12 face charges for criminal acts, an idea that has its critics even as Manitobans deal with two recent cases involving young people endangering other children.

"When there are very, very serious crimes like this, we need to look at how it is that we can provide that meaningful but measured consequence," justice critic Kelvin Goertzen of Steinbach said Wednesday.

"And I don't think that it's a positive thing to talk about putting people under 12 into facilities, incarcerated facilities. I think there's better ways to send messages. But a message has to be sent, and there is no messages being sent now."

Last Saturday, a group of Winnipeg children ages 7 to 11 allegedly forced a 14-year-old disabled boy into a playground wood shed and set it on fire. A man in the neighbourhood managed to pry open the burning shed's door and save the teen.

Several weeks earlier, two 11-year-old boys on a central Manitoba reserve were deemed too young to be charged after a girl, also 11, was pinned down, doused with insect repellent and set on fire in what was called a dangerous game.

RCMP charged a boy, who had just turned 12, with aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and mischief endangering life.

The Youth Criminal Justice Act applies to youths between the ages of 12 and 17.

Early intervention works, says minister

Manitoba Justice Minister Dave Chomiak said offenders who are too young to be charged are enrolled in the province's Turnabout program, which provides intervention services to children and their families.

"Youths are worked with to get them active in trying and turn their lives around," Chomiak said Wednesday.

"We know that the earlier you can intervene, and the earlier you can work with the youths and the family, the less they are likely to reoffend."

The children allegedly involved in Saturday's shed-burning incident will likely be enrolled in the program, police have said. While Chomiak said the program has a high success rate, it is not mandatory.

Goertzen said it's up to the federal government to consider changes to the Youth Criminal Justice Act. However, he suggested the province could increase supervision of children under 12 who get into trouble.

University of Winnipeg sociologist Kirsten Kramar says harsher penalties for children do not act as a deterrent; instead, kids can become more dangerous criminals when they leave the youth justice system.

Mary Hall, director of Safe Schools Manitoba, said many factors contribute to children endangering other children.

"One would be just a lack of supervision, lack of parents knowing what their children are up to. A lack of morals, knowing right from wrong," Hall said Wednesday.

"We need to instil that sense of respect and dignity, compassion for others, right from the time the child can walk and talk."

Helping kids stay off streets

Meanwhile, one Winnipeg mother who lives near the playground that was the scene of the shed-burning incident is taking action to keep children off the streets.

Myrna Sinclair meets with a group of mothers in the neighbourhood to create activities that involve children and parents.

She said she sees evidence of neglected children in the neighbourhood, dubbed Jigtown by residents

"There was a boy, about 14 years old, he tried hanging himself …," she said Wednesday.

"We were watching him from the window — it was in the winter — and that's when we asked him, 'What are you doing?' and he says, 'I'm trying to hang myself.'"

Sinclair and her husband talked the boy down from the tree, but added there have been too many other close calls in her neighbourhood — even though at least five community groups offer outreach services in the area.

"We see children outside, like in two, three o'clock in the morning, running around. We've seen that all summer," she said.

"They're [as] young as two years old. Like, they're in their Pampers, running around [outside]."

Sinclair said having more community support for parents could better ensure children's safety.