Yob Culture

'A spate of assaults and killings has added to the mood of a society unravelling - and often alcohol is to blame'. The Guardian

Last Friday night Andy Holland 16yrs, was stabbed in the neck in his local takeaway in Greater Manchester and died shortly afterwards in hospital. He is the latest statistic in a spate of recent murders and serious assaults across the Country. Our society is increasingly uneasy about Britain's Yob Culture. And rightly so but, what is to be done to curb the rise in horrific violence?

The government consistently tries to refute claims that 'it is losing the fight on law and order' but they would. Anecdotal evidence suggests the liberalisation of the drinking laws may be the cause? I have to disagree. We have some of the most stringent laws in any western civilisation. Strict regulation of drugs and other forms of substance abuse, along with the highest taxes and control of legal substances such as tobacco and alcohol hasn't made the slightest impression on Yob Culture, neither is it likely to!

Tony Blair's 'respect agenda' introduced the ASBO to try and curb Anti Social Behaviour but Home Office statistics show 55 per cent of the orders are breached. Research by the Youth Justice Board also found some under-18s regard an ASBO as a badge of honour! The Liberal Democrats' culture spokesman, Don Foster is right to say "the government is burying its head in the sand".

How long will the streets of Britain continue to be the hunting ground of feral and violent youth? It will continue until the police are allowed to police, instead of chasing government figures. Until our society supports teachers when they discipline our kids at school. Until parents teach their children right from wrong and accept responsibility for their actions. It will continue as long as we give more rights to the wrong doer than we do to the victim. In short it will not stop until we change the outlook of society, the people that turn their eye from the problem until it affects them as individuals!