Tackling vandalism is a high political priority

He underlined the new Scottish Executive's commitment to bringing in tough measures to tackle "the blight of crime".

Mr McConnell was speaking during a visit to Easterhouse in Glasgow, along with the new Justice Minister, Cathy Jamieson, and Communities Minister Margaret Curran.

Labour wants to make parents responsible for their children's criminal actions in extreme cases, a plan which has been opposed by the party's coalition partners, the Liberal Democrats.

On Thursday, Mr McConnell saw the extent of vandalism and graffiti in Easterhouse and discussed the problem with local people.

He stated: "No street in Scotland should be a no-go zone for any citizen, young or old.

"Wherever I go in Scotland, people tell me that one of their biggest concerns is the level of crime in their areas.

We are determined to take a stand against the minority of Scots who indulge in this kind of behaviour Margaret Curran Communities Minister

"Whether it is graffiti, vandalised bus shelters, damaged cars of verbal and physical attacks, people in Scotland are sick and tired of seeing their communities and local businesses dragged down.

"Government needs to be on the side of ordinary decent families. That is why I have made it a priority to remove this blight.

"Delivering a new Anti-Social Behaviour Bill will be one of the new executive's highest priorities."

Such legislation is set to be thorny for the executive. Liberal Democrat leader Jim Wallace has described as "unworkable" a move to jail parents for their children's crimes.

The proposal is unlikely to get past stage one of the parliament's legislative process because it would fall foul of European human rights laws, according to the former justice minister.

Mr Wallace's successor, Cathy Jamieson, said: "We share people's impatience for further change.

'Take a stand'

"We will move quickly to crack down on anti-social behaviour, speed up the courts, give more power to police officers and put the interests of the victim first."

Margaret Curran added: "We are determined to take a stand against the minority of Scots who indulge in this kind of behaviour."

However, the Scottish Tories dubbed Mr McConnell's visit to Easterhouse with Ms Jamieson a "slap in the face" for the minister.

Deputy justice spokesman Bill Aitken said: "He well knows that as Education Minister she was as soft as putty and her view that the offender is the victim has led to school violence rocketing out of control.