When are the police going to do more to curb nuisance youth?

Golf Alpha Nine-seven

The Police do as much as they can but until the Magistrates start handing down sentences that act as a real deterent to these little scrotes they won't see their behaviour for what it is. While the Police and Courts are responsible for enforcing the law why are the parents not held responsible for raising their kids properly?

Smurf

It is not the fault of the Police our hands are tied with politics

ROBERT M

Kids think its great to be in the asbo club, but why the police, ??what about the parents, give them an asbo as well for not using parental control.

frankturk50

The courts and government dont back the police.We should have laws like the americans where parents can be done for contributing to the delinquency of a minor and curfews where the kids are taken home and warned along with the parents if it happens again the parents are taken to court.

Foghorn

This is a can of worms.

Firstly, the Police are doing their best, but are hampered by both a shortage of Officers and by the Criminal Justice system for youths, which is incredibly complicated, very drawn out, and which bends over backwards to stop youth being introduced to the practitioners of serious and/or habitual crime in prisons.

Secondly, boredom is not quite the issue. One could spend zillions on providing youth facilities, but the hard core of youth will find any activity sponsored or encouraged by adults as 'uncool', and will therefore shun it. It is well known that adolescents create their own sub-cultures Youth is beyond childhood and not quite in adulthood, and is therefore stuck in limbo between these two states of existence.

The answer is as follows

Firstly, Government will need to decide on our behalf how society should be. Currently, there is no leadership from government.
The purpose of law, as defined in various law books, is to maintain a safe and tranquil society. Government must make up its mind on this point.

Secondly, if we assume that Government has decided on the course of a 'safe and tranquil' society, then legislation will have to be introduced or revived to ensure that this can be enforced. Loitering used to be an offence - this needs to be an offence again. I'm fifty, five foot eight in hight, I weigh 15 stone, I do weightlifting, am an ex amateur wrestler and have military service to boot, but I feel intimidated by groups of youths hanging about.

Thirdly, the public must support the law, and its enforcement. This does not simply mean calling the police, it means adults setting an example to youth. Therefore, no parties with loud music disturbing the neighbours. No dog poo on the streets. No adult dropping litter. We have all seen the syndrome where everyone's kid is a villain, but one's own offspring is an angel, even when caught red-handed. This must stop.

Ian UK

Very good points by Foghorn
Nice to see some support and understanding of the Police for a change from some posts.
Perhaps Leopardshaz, you should join the Police as you appear to have the answers to the problem and seem to think it's that easy to sort out a problem that's taken years to deteriorate.
As most answers say, the Police are often powerless, understaffed and not supported by the system.
Longer licencing hours didn't help, re-classifying cannabis was a bad idea, ASBO's are a waste of time, I could go on. What's needed is more severe penalties by the Courts and better education by parents of these yobs. In my experience, most of the parents are the same as the kids, just older and trust me, I'm in a position to know.

spannerbox

The police's hands are tied, unfortunately its down to the parents to curb their kids, but if they have no intention of taking care of them, then what do you expect the police to do, most of these little shi*s know the law. Maybe its time to make the parents responsible and making them pay. And as weird as its sounds maybe time these kids need to be birched and humiliated in public.

NIGHTOWL

The police enforce the laws but do not make them.
They must get fed up dealing with youth crime.
The government has eroded the power of parents to dicipline their own children, kids are aware of this and undermine their parents. The result? solicitors,social workers are all very busy and earning plenty out of others misery.

Englishcad

Police are powerless courts a joke, politicians spine less.The responsibility lay with the parents but who is going to teach the parents right from wrong? My solution, I know you are crying out to hear is this.One give the kids something to do when they go out with their friends.Under 15s in by 10pm unless their is a reason ie coming home from the cinemas(if they are with their parents no problem then they can be out till when ever).Under 12s in by 8pm.If the child gets in trouble 3 time they join cadets if they don't go the parents join the army!The 16 to 20 year olds must help out in the community if they have no job or any thing better to do.They could then teach their parents how to behave and right from wrong. Firm but fair as always with Cad.........

st.abbs

I don't think the police have the power to do much. The courts are guided by the Government.
The introduction of curfews and making the PARENTS responsible for their children's behaviour should be implemented.

woznotwoz

Unfortunately there is so much yobbish behaviour that the Police spend 60-70% of the time chasing round after kids as it is. So at the end of the day it's like a dog chasing it's tail going round in circles not actually getting anywhere. The Police are very limited in what they can do and in a number of cases these kids aren't actually doing anything other than meeting up.

Ben G

The problem is not the police - the police simply enforce the law. They do not make the law or punish those who break it. ASBOs work from a police point of view i.e. if an offender breaches an ASBO, he gets arrested and put before the court.

That said, you quite rightly make mention of the 'courts' in your question. It could be said that sentences should be tougher, however the problem is not as simple as that as this involves massive amounts of money. I guarantee a petty criminal sent to prison for a first offence of a minor nature WILL NOT 'reform' and be a model citizen on his release.

The answer - more police, better education, better criminal justice system, more prisons etc. and LOADS more public money. So, shall we increase taxes to fund this??

Captain Flaps

Define 'nuisance'. A lot of people dislike groups of kids standing around on their street, and so phone the police. But, obviously (and reasonably) enough, there's no law against standing on the street, so there's nothing the police can do.

A True Gentleman

You think the police or the authorities care? lol, just keep on paying your taxes and voting in elections like a good boy and remember nothing whatsoever will be done to solve the problem. If they haven't even attempted to find a real solution after all these hundreds of years what makes you think they will try in the future? Accept and cope is my advice.

billy

you are focusing on punishments, what about focusing on the cause of the problem- boredom.

If council estates had decent youth projects that kids could get involved in they wouldn't have time to get into trouble in the first place.

churie78

National service.

Sara D

I heard they were going to rerelease dont stand so close to me and tell them all to bugger off!! God bless Sting!!

srracvuee

i dont think they are bothered all that much i never see one after dark where i live and they close doors of station at 12 pm and a population of 1/2 million

geronimo

never, they are afraid of hoodies in case they violate their civil rights to be hugged by David Cameron. ASBO's a badge of dishonour? where are you at, around here they are a badge of pride. I had a full can of beer thrown at my car windscreen yesterday by a hoodie who apologised, mind you he was pissed as a fart. Poor unfortunate lad, he was carrying a case of heinekin..never offered me one though, and his two mates were getting ready to lay into me. Police, scum of the low life earth who let our estates fall into anarchy and decay. They are too busy on the soft targets such as speeding and using mobile phones etc:

As_It_Is

when the stop picking on soft targets like rock nightclubs with 16-18 year olds or nice hippy like ravers etc who cause no harm

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