Capital Summertime Ball 2024

[Guest]

How would you go about tackling youth crime if you had the absolute power to do so and what would you do to keep gangs of teenagers behaving unlawfully off of the streets? Can anything be done, or do you leave them be?

I think there need to be more youth centres, especially for 16-19-year olds. A greater emphasis on urban regeneration of poor and deprived areas (as the theory goes, if you make it look nice, people often respect it. More trees planted in poor areas have been shown to reduce crime: http://www.warwickdc.gov.uk/WDC/Leisure+and+culture/Parks+and+recreation/Parks/The+Benefits+of+Trees.htm ) and more support for the poorest families, whose children are often, tragically, the likeliest to go on to join teen gangs.

If billions of taxpayers' money were better spent enriching the lives and communities most in need, instead of on propping-up collapsed companies for the sake of fat cats, the world might indeed be a better place.

[E*F*4L]

im all for the planting of trees

giving them something constructive to do would be a better idea i would have thought though.

[dstrkzn]

If billions of taxpayers' money were better spent enriching the lives and communities most in need, instead of on propping-up collapsed companies for the sake of fat cats, the world might indeed be a better place.

Key Points:

Money is Needed

Junkies should be banned from having Children.

Where do you plant trees when people are living in 20 storey tower blocks?

People Caught with Guns.... In Nigeria they cut off peoples hands for stealing. Nuff Said same with Coke/Heroin Dealers.

[Guest]

Key Points:

Money is Needed

That's easily done. The government has £147billion set aside annually for 'social protection', which includes money for projects like this. Trees such as Crab Apples and Wild Cherries survive brilliantly in inner-cities and urban areas (and soak up vast amounts of pollution and provide food for wildlife) and cost as little as £4.99 for a 2-metre high tree, hardly expensive!

Where do you plant trees when people are living in 20 storey tower blocks?

Wherever the space is available and the community agree. The power to determine such things would always go to the community, not councillors and bureaucrats. Many young trees can be planted in pavements by lifting up slabs or drilling holes. Native trees are especially resilient and although it might seem like a harsh life in a pavement, many last their entire lifespan. Also, trees add value to streets, not only in terms of finance but in aesthetics, crime reduction and health. They make most people feel happy.

[SEANN]

David Cameron recently come up with his most sensible idea ever, all 16-year-olds do national service.

That's what is needed, something to straighten up their acts and give them a bit of intel about what 'respect' means.

[bolinbenny]

People Caught with Guns.... In Nigeria they cut off peoples hands for stealing. Nuff Said same with Coke/Heroin Dealers.

Screw if their caught with guns, if their caught stealing, with guns/knives cut their bloody hands off - then they can't use them, then also ban them from claiming benefit forcing them to work.

Have I been reading too much of the Daily Mail?

On a serious point I do think that more community/youth centres are a good idea, give young people stuff to do and I don't think they'll bother with hanging around street corners intimidating people.

[charli]

I think its a good idea giving them something to do, but I dont like the fact where they say on the news and stuff that its 'teenagers' not all of us like to kill people ect. I think they need to see that some teenagers do find creative things to do and dont mix in with the lot that are causing trouble.

[Mike]

My name is Mike. I'm a teenager.

I Smoke.

I Drink.

I hang around with my mates outside until the hours reach double figures.

I like to play music out of my mobile phone.

I like to listen to different types of music, even hip-hop or RnB music.

I like to wear trackies, hoodies and the rest of it.

I like to be myself without other people telling me what i am doing is wrong.

I also like to live life my own way, not by any stereotype.

Go on... Hate me.

[Guest]

My name is Mike. I'm a teenager.

I Smoke.

I Drink.

I hang around with my mates outside until the hours reach double figures.

I like to play music out of my mobile phone.

I like to listen to different types of music, even hip-hop or RnB music.

I like to wear trackies, hoodies and the rest of it.

I like to be myself without other people telling me what i am doing is wrong.

I also like to live life my own way, not by any stereotype.

Go on... Hate me.

No-one has said any of that is wrong Mike.

The issue isn't what's wrong or right for teenagers to do, but teenagers who commit severe crimes, sometimes in gangs, and what ought to be done to try and prevent it from happening.

[Lucinda]

I'm sure most teenagers in tracksuits hanging round with their mates on street corners are harmless, however, I have had bad experiences with just a few gangs wanting to 'start something' that I avoid them all if I can.

Planting trees does make areas look nicer, my street at home has trees on it and apart from when the Council kill them by driving carelessly, they brighten the place up. On the road I live on here, there are huge trees, they've been there a long time though so they don't exactly add much to the area. The Council has just put in some flowers growing in multistorey pots on the pavement, hopefully no one will vandalise.

[DC]

not saying all are bad, i've been there and done most of it. except for smoke. there is a massive difference between a bunch of friends hanging out and a bunch of guys asking if 'you got beef' when you are going into a newsagents to get a can of pop. the latter should be put into the army and then we'll find out how hard they are. a lot of this didn't happen in the 50's when the conscription was in.

[Bumble_85]

My name is Mike. I'm a teenager.

I Smoke.

I Drink.

I hang around with my mates outside until the hours reach double figures.

I like to play music out of my mobile phone.

I like to listen to different types of music, even hip-hop or RnB music.

I like to wear trackies, hoodies and the rest of it.

I like to be myself without other people telling me what i am doing is wrong.

I also like to live life my own way, not by any stereotype.

Go on... Hate me.

All you needed to write was this bit:

I like to play music out of my mobile phone.

That is the most fecking annoying thing ever. Apart from bad grammar

[DC]

get ova it!

[Mike]

I like to play music out of my mobile phone.

That is the most fecking annoying thing ever. Apart from bad grammar

Do we make the mobiles?

Sorry for being grouchy about this but it's one thing that really p*sses me off now. I just walked down to the chemist about 20 mins ago, to get my mums prescription because she is sat at home ill. I get funny looks of just about everyone i walk past... I'm wearing Adidas trackies, a Reebok Jumper, Umbro Jacket and Nike Trainers.

I walk down there in Trousers, Shirt, Shoes and Coat etc i can almost guarantee that barely anyone will look at me like something they just trod in.

And older people wonder why people my age are the way we are... Maybe it's cos we get treated like crap in the first place! :x

[Jono]

What annoys me is that they don't just play it out of their phone, they play it out of their phone so EVERYONE can hear it. There's a volume button. I wouldn't mind if it was the same as a normal conversation but no, they think they're in their Nissan Micra.

[midnight]

I went out at the weekend wearing my uni hoodie and because it was raining I had the hood up. As a result I was stopped when entering a shop and warned by the security guards that they were watching me....becuase im a teenager and wearing a hoodie??? I've been into the same shop before in a coat instead of my hoodie and the same security guards havent bothered about me. Older people need to stop judging teens by what they wear - just because I wear a hoodie doesnt mean im gonna attact you or something.

[Bumble_85]

Do we make the mobiles?

You don't make mobiles yet still use them.

You don't make headphones but you can use those also.

[Guest]

the latter should be put into the army and then we'll find out how hard they are. a lot of this didn't happen in the 50's when the conscription was in.

National service doesn't work, that's why they stopped it.

[KingTutsWWH]

Put all minor youth offenders in stocks and throw rotten vegetables at them. Public humiliation is the way forward!

Seriously though - there seems to be a real lack of free/subsidised indoor places for young people to meet up, socialise, do sports, activities etc.

No wonder people wear hoods - it's bley cold and wet here. I had the hood on my duffle coat up yesterday. Does this make me a hoodie?

[DC]

National service doesn't work, that's why they stopped it.

thing is, there were less bus shelters smashed, less people mugged etc... you cant treat criminals with respect and love like the government do now becuase it dosent work at all. harder punishments need to be bought in.

[Chaos]

I think that the only way to stop them would be to make examples of some of them, maybe beating them a little or something. Fear, I think, would work best against them.

Why can't people be more like me...lol! Though perhaps that's not the best idea...I have a wacky sense of humour..I'm actually wearing a Dicky Bow tie at the moment for mock interviews, while everyone else went for normal ties

So...why can't everyone be like someone sensible and mature!!

[DC]

have you been inspired by ken dodd then?

[Chaos]

.....who?

[DC]

[Guest]

thing is, there were less bus shelters smashed, less people mugged etc...

In the 13th century, historians have estimated that 22 people per 100,000 were the victims of murderers. Today, it's 1.62* per 100,000. That makes England & Wales safer in terms of being a murder victim than the USA, Switzerland and Canada.

As for mugging, from 1979 the huge increase in police manpower has boosted the ability of the police to record crimes that before might have been omitted. In the 1950s, Teddy boys (the equivalent of today's chav sub-culture) were feared on the streets of many working-class estates and were responsible for a high number of crimes, including mugging, assaults and murder. In the 1950s, for a whole number of reasons, crimes were not reported and recorded in the same manner as they are today, so the idea that the 1950s or past eras were safer, less violent, less criminal, happier times goes out the window.

*Figures for England & Wales, not the UK.