Crime Crazy

The whole of the UK is frothing at the mouth at the moment about crime. An 11 year old boy was shot in the back of the neck whilst playing football and he sadly later died from the loss of blood. This horrible tragedy is another item in the catalogue of shootings, stabbings, school fights filmed and put on YouTube and the general antisocial behaviour that seems to plague our consequence free liberal society.

The left have come out with the usual watering down arguments. August is a slow news month because the politicians are on holiday like everyone else. The Guardian said that this slow news effect is why we always hear about youth crime in August. Erm. No. It's because the kids are off schools that they can be the victims/perpertrators of crime.

The right have suggested National Service for all those who do not find work on leaving school, hard labour in prison, punishment for parents of unruly kids, removal of financial incentives in the welfare system that make a single mother better off than a couple who stay together to raise their children, a 2 year time limit on benefits for unemployment, tougher hands on policing/regular patrols and on and on.

The one person who has made sensible comment is Ian Duncan Smith, former head of the Conservative party. He said a many facetted approach is needed. Identifying problem families early and giving parenting support together with tough methods in crime fighting. Carrot and strong stick.

I worry that the media, by making it look like crime is the norm, encourage more crime and copycat crime. The broken window theory. If a house has a broken window already why not smash a second one? And why weren't the street gangs filmed in Liverpool yesterday wielding machetes for the camera arrested? Why was a TV film crew stoned as they drove past without the police intervening? The final insult came from the home secretary who said all this was OK because it is happening in a few tightly controlled areas - ie poor areas. But this isn't true. There have been many innocent middle class victims in recent months. Like Rhys Jones.