It's a sick world we live in
Discussion
I was chatting with my kids over dinner tonight (they range from 7 to 14 years of age) and we ended up chatting about the subject of "walking alone at night". They all said that they fully understood the importance of not walking on their own - and I was pleased that they understood this particular safety measure.
However, it got me thinking. What a sick world we live in when our children can't walk the streets! The fact is I've become used to it, so the absurdity of the situation is simply taken for granted.
Taking a step back from the situation, if I was a Martian that had just landed on planet Earth, to my mind no society should ever degenerate to the level where kids (and adults for that matter) should be afraid to walk down the street. Surely, they should be the safest people in society who everybody looks out for.
In certain countries, Singapore for example, there is "zero tolerence" of yobs, muggers, and the like. A criminal gets caught there and they're done for. In this country crime has won the battle, because there is so much "fear of crime" - even in my own kids. I reckon there's a great deal of sense in turning the heat up on the perpetrators - so they become afraid, rather than victims and potential victims.
However, it got me thinking. What a sick world we live in when our children can't walk the streets! The fact is I've become used to it, so the absurdity of the situation is simply taken for granted.
Taking a step back from the situation, if I was a Martian that had just landed on planet Earth, to my mind no society should ever degenerate to the level where kids (and adults for that matter) should be afraid to walk down the street. Surely, they should be the safest people in society who everybody looks out for.
In certain countries, Singapore for example, there is "zero tolerence" of yobs, muggers, and the like. A criminal gets caught there and they're done for. In this country crime has won the battle, because there is so much "fear of crime" - even in my own kids. I reckon there's a great deal of sense in turning the heat up on the perpetrators - so they become afraid, rather than victims and potential victims.
Yep.
I was in Singapore in December, noticed the total lack of security cameras in shops and commented to one of the staff.
They said that cameras wern't needed, as if anyone was seen stealing from a shop, they would be stopped by anyone who saw them and reported to the police....and dealt with (they actually said 'moved on').
I found it quite refreshing, that a petty crime is so frowned upon that it brings such shame upon the perpretrator.
Zero tolerance there = very low crime rate.
I was in Singapore in December, noticed the total lack of security cameras in shops and commented to one of the staff.
They said that cameras wern't needed, as if anyone was seen stealing from a shop, they would be stopped by anyone who saw them and reported to the police....and dealt with (they actually said 'moved on').
I found it quite refreshing, that a petty crime is so frowned upon that it brings such shame upon the perpretrator.
Zero tolerance there = very low crime rate.
It is a sick world we live in mate. There's a whole host of people who'd 
you up as soon as they look at you and wouldn't give a second thought about it.
I think we should adapt a zero tolerance stand-point with regards to crime anyway. Prison is too soft, these types of people should pay. On the flip side though I still think a good up-bringing is important for one's moral developement.
you up as soon as they look at you and wouldn't give a second thought about it. I think we should adapt a zero tolerance stand-point with regards to crime anyway. Prison is too soft, these types of people should pay. On the flip side though I still think a good up-bringing is important for one's moral developement.
_VTEC_ said:
It is a sick world we live in mate. There's a whole host of people who'd
I think we should adapt a zero tolerance stand-point with regards to crime anyway. Prison is too soft, these types of people should pay. On the flip side though I still think a good up-bringing is important for one's moral developement.
Absolutely right - agree on all points. Problem is, kids that don't get a good up-bringing (usually because their parents couldn't give a hoot) need dealing with. You do it the easy way - with appropriate discipline as a youngster - or the much harder way when they get older. Unfortuntely both of these seem to be getting more scarce.
i agree with you, people are being overly protective about children being influenced by the world of today. i mean people are being more and more influenced by what other people are doing to their children, what particularly annoyed me was that the government has made a new law that could inprison parents if they hit their child and a bruise results from it. now obviously im someone who would beat children up if i had any, but a child should be disciplined effectively so that they know they have done something wrong, to make sure they dont do it again.
Japan is similar, I've been there many times as my sister used to live there, and she'd regularly go back to her down town house, walking the streets and going on the subway at 3-4 am in the morning...
Canada is safer than here..and America (on average) in terms of muggings and street crime.
It's the people that make excuses for these street criminals.
I mean, I haven't seen the programme yet, but there's been advertisements for a documentary about chavs on Sky 1, and it seems that it will be told from the point of view of sympathising with them. You could say that - what have chavs got to do with street crimes and criminals, but this kind of thing comes from bitterness, ignorance and a 'mob mentality'-something that is rife in the chav community....
Canada is safer than here..and America (on average) in terms of muggings and street crime.
It's the people that make excuses for these street criminals.
I mean, I haven't seen the programme yet, but there's been advertisements for a documentary about chavs on Sky 1, and it seems that it will be told from the point of view of sympathising with them. You could say that - what have chavs got to do with street crimes and criminals, but this kind of thing comes from bitterness, ignorance and a 'mob mentality'-something that is rife in the chav community....
In fact, just to add a little bit more to this, I don't just think we should have zero-tolerance I think the punishements that these people recieve should be f***ing brutal. And we should make it completely unthinkable to repeat offend.
I had my wallet stolen last week, and the thing that disheartens me most is not that my actual wallet was stolen but that I know the person that took my wallet will steal again. And again, and again, until they get caught. Just makes me livid that these types don't seem to give a flying f*** about whose lives they mess up!
I had my wallet stolen last week, and the thing that disheartens me most is not that my actual wallet was stolen but that I know the person that took my wallet will steal again. And again, and again, until they get caught. Just makes me livid that these types don't seem to give a flying f*** about whose lives they mess up!
The risk of being abducted is absolutely minute. The risk of being assaulted on the street is massively low.
Fear of crime is very high. Work it out. I don't for one minute think that children can't walk home at night on their own. Statisically they have more chance of being run over.
Fear of crime is very high. Work it out. I don't for one minute think that children can't walk home at night on their own. Statisically they have more chance of being run over.
_VTEC_ said:
In fact, just to add a little bit more to this, I don't just think we should have zero-tolerance I think the punishements that these people recieve should be f***ing brutal. And we should make it completely unthinkable to repeat offend.
Absolutely agree, unfortunately we have a Government that is ever more softer on Criminals.
The only zero tolerance and draconian punishments in the UK seem to be for motoring offences
Have to disagree with you Srebbe64, it's not a sick world we live in, but a sick country. You're right of course. 
On my travels I've never seen such a dirty, lawless, and divided nation. The rich hate the poor, the poor hate the rich. The North thinks the South is: ripping them off The South thinks the North are: a bunch of scroungers. The Scots and Welsh hate the English, The English don't like anyone, even themselves.
We throw our rubbish and discarded household furniture out on the sides of roads. A good night out is: Get legless, cause a nuisance, damage someones car (or steal it to get home) and finish of with a fight. (the latter two may be reversed as appropriate).
Criminals are allowed to go free, in fact their crimes are not even investigated (for the mostpart), Innocent people defending themselves are taken to court and in some cases: jailed.
The list is endless isn't it? God bless our "United Kingdom".
On my travels I've never seen such a dirty, lawless, and divided nation. The rich hate the poor, the poor hate the rich. The North thinks the South is: ripping them off The South thinks the North are: a bunch of scroungers. The Scots and Welsh hate the English, The English don't like anyone, even themselves.
We throw our rubbish and discarded household furniture out on the sides of roads. A good night out is: Get legless, cause a nuisance, damage someones car (or steal it to get home) and finish of with a fight. (the latter two may be reversed as appropriate).
Criminals are allowed to go free, in fact their crimes are not even investigated (for the mostpart), Innocent people defending themselves are taken to court and in some cases: jailed.
The list is endless isn't it? God bless our "United Kingdom".
Just been watching a bit of pro Blair propaganda praising ASBOs. I love it when the civil service step in with silliness. There was clear video of some chav smashing a car window and being a general pain in the but making life hell for the neighbourhood. The answer is simple. Return to public floggings and broadcast them on the big screen at the football matches each weekend. When the crowd see what the little scrotes have done they will bay for more. Yes its brutal and yes it would be effective. Where there is clear video evidence of the criminal in action then the proof is irrefutable and we should stop being so squeamish. The current culture is these kids are hero worshipped by their peers. If they watched them screaming each weekend for a few weeks they would realise that they are dick heads and turn their attentions to more useful persuits.
There was clear video of some chav smashing a car window and being a general pain in the but making life hell for the neighbourhood. The answer is simple. Return to public floggings and broadcast them on the big screen at the football matches each weekend. When the crowd see what the little scrotes have done they will bay for more. Yes its brutal and yes it would be effective. Where there is clear video evidence of the criminal in action then the proof is irrefutable and we should stop being so squeamish. The current culture is these kids are hero worshipped by their peers. If they watched them screaming each weekend for a few weeks they would realise that they are dick heads and turn their attentions to more useful persuits.
nonegreen said:
Just been watching a bit of pro Blair propaganda praising ASBOs. I love it when the civil service step in with silliness.
Well they might scream for a wee while.
thebluemonkey said:
Just been watching a bit of pro Blair propaganda praising ASBOs. I love it when the civil service step in with silliness.
Well they might scream for a wee while.
All this talk of: Peers and wee makes me want to go. Actually it gives me an
idea. Bring back the "Stocks"(there are still quite a few around) an' I'll give them the benefit of the contents of my bladder, anyone care to join in?
rico said:
parrot - don't you think its BECAUSE of the high levels of fear and awareness that the chances of a problem happening are low?
If people become complacent thats when the problems will escalate.
The other side of the argument is that if more people decided that they were not going to be intimidated, the streets would not just be populated by scrotes and we would become a more self regulating society. I feel that part of the problem is that as a society we believe the media's hysterical assertions that as soon as we set foot out of the door we will be attacked by some psycho and so we stay indoors and rely on the over-worked under-powered police and justice systems to sort things out rather than dealing with them as a community.
Re-claim the streets!
Has anyone seen the posters at train stations advising mobile users not to "advertise" the fact that they have a mobile, in case they are mugged for it.
What the fffff****cKKKK!
This more or less says that it's inevitable that we have lowlifes hanging around waiting to take our property.
Should not the poster say "...thieves, you had better beware - severe punishment for mugging / stealing..."
Or "...dear train customer "...we hope you feel safe using our service...etc"
What the fffff****cKKKK!
This more or less says that it's inevitable that we have lowlifes hanging around waiting to take our property.
Should not the poster say "...thieves, you had better beware - severe punishment for mugging / stealing..."
Or "...dear train customer "...we hope you feel safe using our service...etc"
Contrast these two accounts
Back in the seventies My dad was stopped at a police road block. A house had been burgled. A T.V. had been taken. This was treated as the crime of the century. The whole village was shocked. My Grans neighbour said that she was going to buy a lock for the back door and that if things got any worse (worse than one crime!) she'd start using it.
Read that last sentence again. It really makes me relise how much has changed.
Two years ago I moved into my current house in Quedgeley. I'm in a little corner of one of the better estates in Gloucester. In this time two of my neighbours have had their garden sheds broken into, next doors car has been vandalised, a house round the corner has had their car stolen and torched. Last year our neighbourhood watch reported that a child had been nearly kidnapped by a bloke in a van just round the corner.
Contrast that with the first account.
Another thing is that our street isn't really a through route to anywhere. There's a good chance that the people doing a lot of this are local. Very sad.
Back in the seventies My dad was stopped at a police road block. A house had been burgled. A T.V. had been taken. This was treated as the crime of the century. The whole village was shocked. My Grans neighbour said that she was going to buy a lock for the back door and that if things got any worse (worse than one crime!) she'd start using it.
Read that last sentence again. It really makes me relise how much has changed.
Two years ago I moved into my current house in Quedgeley. I'm in a little corner of one of the better estates in Gloucester. In this time two of my neighbours have had their garden sheds broken into, next doors car has been vandalised, a house round the corner has had their car stolen and torched. Last year our neighbourhood watch reported that a child had been nearly kidnapped by a bloke in a van just round the corner.
Contrast that with the first account.
Another thing is that our street isn't really a through route to anywhere. There's a good chance that the people doing a lot of this are local. Very sad.
james_j said:
Should not the poster say "...thieves, you had better beware - severe punishment for mugging / stealing..."
I couldn't help but bang my head against my monitor at this one. Exactly!!! They should be trying to deter the criminals instead of attempting to make out that it might just be your fault for taking that phone call and advertising your hand set.
Problem with enforcing zero-tolerence laws in this country is that we've got too many of them, and too many little Hitlers all to willing to bother people with them. You just know that if we clamped down on petty criminals in this country, we'd also end up sending 35-in-a-30s to prison, you just know it.
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