Parents may have to make contracts with courts

The party also pledged action on disruptive pupils - by taking them out of classrooms and providing sin-bins - "pupil support bases" - in each school.

Action to stimulate the economy and efforts to improve the quality of life also feature.

Labour campaign co-ordinator Patricia Ferguson said the quality-of-life measures included, but went far wider than, tackling yobbish behaviour.

"We are looking at a range of things, like banning the sale of spray paint to the under 18s", campaign coordinator Ms Ferguson told BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme.

The parents would make a contract either with the youth courts or the children's hearing panel about the kind of behaviour that would be expected from their children Patricia Ferguson, Labour campaign co-ordinator

She also detailed how parents of young offenders could face jail under Labour's plans.

"The parents would make a contract either with the youth courts or the children's hearing panel about the kind of behaviour that would be expected from their children," said Ms Ferguson.

"Say for example that they had to attend school, that they must not mix with a particular group of other children.

"If that contract was not maintained, it would be possible for the children's panel or youth court to refer the incident to the sheriff court, and for the sheriff courts to make a sentencing arrangement with the parents.

"But it would be very much a last resort."

Youth vote

Policies for young Scots are a key feature of the manifesto in a bid to target young voters.

The party has pledged improved financial support for school, college and university students.

A national concessionary fares scheme and the scrapping of prescription charges for young adults in full time education have been promised.

Labour also commited itself to providing 30,000 modern apprenticeships every year.

Successful trials

A party spokesman said that the first four years of the Scottish Parliament would be remembered for giving support to older Scots, through free personal care and free off-peak travel.

He said that party leader Jack McConnell was keen that, if elected, he wants the next four years to be remembered for the help that is given to young people.

Labour's manifesto promised to roll out the Educational Maintenance Allowance across Scotland, to help 16 to 19-year-olds in low income families continue full-time school or college education, following successful local trials.

The weekly allowance is expected to be set at �30 - reduced from the �40 provided in the East Ayrshire pilot, but the new national scheme will also offer students a �200 end of term bonus for good attendance and attainment.

John Swinney pledged to reduce voting age

Labour also proposed a review of student bursaries, with a view to raising the maximum level payable, and making more young people eligible for this highest award by increasing the parental income ceiling.

The manifesto also pledged to scrap prescription charges for all young people in full-time education up to age 25, while promising to introduce concessionary travel on bus and rail for all young people, initially for those in full time education.

Scottish National Party (SNP) leader John Swinney made his pitch for the younger vote, during a visit to Dundee on Saturday.

He underlined the SNP's commitment to scrapping the graduate endowment university students must pay once they start earning over �10,000 and pledged to reduce the voting age to 16.

On Monday, the Nationalists will be focussing on unemployment and the number of jobless households in Scotland.

They will also launch a new economic website.

The Liberals Democrats will spend the day stressing the importance of the second vote.