The problem of yobs causing misery for their neighbours and local communities is a daily reality for many people.
Be it from gangs of drunken teenagers to more serious cases of vandalism, assaults or even murder, stories of problems involving young louts are rarely out of the newspapers.
However, coming up with an effective plan to deal with the troublemakers has proved difficult for politicians, police and local officials.
Anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) have probably been the best-known antidote the authorities have used. But experts say these have their limits and some serial offenders just view them as a “badge of honour”.
The latest initiative to get the backing of the government is a scheme to turn the tables on the yobs with the police hounding them to make their lives uncomfortable.
Residents in Essex, where the Operation Leopard idea was first introduced, say it was a great success.
But it is likely to alarm some civil rights groups, who have expressed concern about the use of ASBOs.
Is it time to get tough on those who refuse to abide by the rules the rest of us adhere to? Or is this just a headline-grabbing announcement? Send us your comments
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10 comments so far
The damage caused by 10 years of using the tax, benefits and “rights” laws to break down society by encouraging people to do exactly what they please will take a lot of undoing.
Time to get tough? - Yes.
Will this latest gimmick help? - No.
Lots of lovely bunce for shyster lawyers making a quick buck by claiming that yobs are being “discriminated” against.
No change for the rest of us.
Putting things right will require major changes - the first and most important of these being a change of government.
- Posted by Mike TFollowing people around with cameras night and day is a bit creepy but if it stops the yobs, then so be it.
The only thing that worries me is that in the future an unscrupulous government could turn all these laws against ordinary citizens. Have an opposition party listed as a terrorist orginisation and the police have will have powers to lock them up for a long time without trial and videotape their families at home. That’s all I’m saying.
- Posted by Tom MorganRespect needs to be earned and life is about choices. Yobs need a reminder about their life choice affects and deserve no respect or ” human rights protection “.
Those rights should be reserved for law abiding citizens who choose to live their lives respectfully.
- Posted by AndrewDefinitely this culture needs to be curbed asap before it ruins the generations to come and carrying the attitude of what would this do is not good enough. Disciplined society forms the basis of a successful society.
- Posted by AnonymousIts laughable. Give the police real powers, not a camcorder to record yobs. I heard her say they will start asking if the “yobs” have a tv license, road tax…. You can sure they will not. You can be sure that if they get a fine, fines as a result, they will be ordered to pay £1 a week for the next 100 years, thats British justice.
- Posted by DuncanChange the prison system to a system of punishment for three quaters of the sentence, and use the last quater for rehabilitation. Remove the gyms, the pooltables, the games consoles, religeous freedom etc from prisons, that will help reduce crime and anti social behaviour. Stop serving meat in prison, serve cheap food, such as rice and maybe vegatables. Why do we use India for outsourcing the likes of call centres, but not for outsourcing prisons? yes it will upset the criminals friends and familly, however if it cuts crime, then lets do it. Remember it costs you and me about £40,000 to lock up criminals over here. Rant over
As a recently retired police officer I found that as soon as any officer began to POLICE these thugs they made a complaint which was readily seized upon by the Professional Standards Department and the officer(s) found themselves under investigation and made to feel like a criminal. When any yob was ever put in front of the magistrates they were by the sentencing policies dictated by the judicial system unable to give any suitable sentences. The Home Secretary is unaware of what really happens on the streets and should stop play acting and proposing inadequate measures.
- Posted by Barry LeechIn a word - absolutely! A free society means that discipline and adherence to socially acceptable norms has to come from within each and every one of us. At the other extreme (eg Saudi Arabia) discipline is imposed by the regime and deterrence is achieved via the prospect and certain knowledge of harsh punishments. Nobody in their right minds would want to see Sharia law here, but I feel the pendulum has swung too far the other way in NZ, which is why we are seeing such a high level of youth crime.
Regards
- Posted by Gordon Norriswell what are people supposed to do? Police say you must use reasonable force to defend yourself or property. But how many times have i heard of some dad of 3 going outside to confront yobs and then being kicked to death. So if they’re intention is to kill you, what is a measured response to that?
- Posted by kK - are you suggesting we KILL them? I’ve got a 12 bore. Lets get out there and deliver some vigilante justice, Travis Bickle style.
- Posted by Tom MorganI am a british subject, but when my Husband retired we came to live in Canada because I had got to the stage where I wouldnt go out on my own, more so at night so my concerts and theatres were no longer a pleasure to me, I became housebound, just because a few lousy selfish thugs got their way. And now I read Reuters everyday and wonder how we are managing to even keep a police force, they should be put on a pedestal and acclaimed for their bravery. For god sakes ask the Queen to kick that Goverment out. June
- Posted by june mellows