Proposals to tackle anti-social behaviour by forcing more parents to attend parenting classes are set to be published.
Home Secretary John Reid will outline plans to encourage the courts to order compulsory lessons in a wider number of cases.
The moves may even be extended to parents whose children have been responsible for anti-social behaviour, rather than crimes.
Mr Reid said such measures could "change lives" as well as save thousands of pounds in the future.
He said the alternative to such orders would be to do nothing about such families, with a future cost to society including thousands of pounds in court and social care fees.
"Getting the problem earlier and a combination of being robust on those parents who will not face up to their responsibilities and helping those who want to through these parenting classes is one of the elements - it is only one of the elements of tackling this," he told GMTV.
Chairman of the Local Government Association, Lord Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, broadly welcomed the concept.
"Giving councils additional powers is a helpful step in ridding local communities of the menace of the mindless minority," he said.
"It is pleasing that the Government recognises the importance of strong local leadership in combating anti-social behaviour and encouraging social responsibility.
"However a balance must be struck between short-term corrective measures and long-term prevention and support if the vicious cycle of crime and reoffending is to be crushed."
