Youth crime the cause?

Question

Do you think problem solving is the way forward in reducing youth crime. It has been shown that not all youth crime is caused by youths from dysfunctional families. It fact many of these youths are from the better off families. So will finding out the causes by problem solving help.

I doubt it. I think that the media such as TV should take a fair share of the blame as should parents and society as a whole. I think we have left the youths of today with a legacy of despair and lack of true care in the community.

I have just read that it is going to be proposed that the age of youth crime to be changed from 10 years old to 14 years of age. Do these people not realise that 10 year olds can be liken to 16 year olds of ten years ago and that they are far more street wise now.

Yes I apologise I did not mean that the less well off were all dysfunctional and that the better off were super families. No I have knowledge myself of better off families who are dysfunctional and some less well off who are go getters. Sorry to offend.

Come on you youngs ones lets have your views please. Thank you

Answer 1

They know that they will get scot free away with it. What happen to the Bobby on the beat giving them a clip round the ear and telling the kids to behave. Oh I forgot, the PC brigade got their hands on the system a messed the whole law and order system up for us all.

Answer 2

You are right of course. Personally, it is all to do with the frustration of WANTING.
Well-off kids get too much. Therefore in a permissive society they know they can get away with almost anything, especially after they have got bored with whatever it was they were bored with.
The not so well off want to get things they cannot afford, they get frustrated because they cannot get it, so turn to crime to fuel a drug habit caused by the frustration of wanting.
There is only one way to cure this cycle and that is to lay less stress on aquiring 'stuff ' and reintroducing a proper regime in schools where children are taught social responsibility. Parents. if they are bad will breed bad children (generally speaking) but with anything there are always exceptions to any rule.
And last but not least I believe all children should be taught that they are part of the universe and not just wandering around separate from it. A certain spirituality should be aquired by children at a young age. This is quite an easy thing to do but would entail a lot of finance to set up the teaching profession for the necessary training.
Mainly I think that YES t.v. has been responsible in throwing away all traditional values of decency. but it it has also been responsible for a great many things which are positive. You cannot blame the media for every ill that confronts society.
I think there should be a complete re-think about education and all that it entails. If you catch them young enough you will, by and large, get responsible children from the system.
Without a proper social care system in place with proper 'healthy' and 'educational' facilities you WILL HAVE an ever spirraling crime rate.

Answer 3

Ahh! I think that you are on two different tracks here. You mention dysfunctional families and better off families - dysfunctional families are not always the less well off - and not all needy families are dysfunctional.

I truly believe that lack of discipline is the root cause. We no longer allow the cane at school and the 'bobby on the beat' can't hand out instant discipline. I know that there was a lot of room for maltreatment here, but has the law stopped it? Look at all the teacher paedophiles that are coming to the front and being charged now! I think that I would prefer that one of my children or grandchildren suffered an injury from someone rather than sexual abuse!
Children need boundaries to work in. If they do not have those boundaries then they have no idea where to stop!
Parents should take more responsibility - but unfortunately, there are too many parents out there who are no longer capable of taking on that responsibility and asserting their authority.

Answer 4

I think there's a complex web of causes...bad parenting, poor education, expectations created and endored by the media. We do seem to have an aim low culture which doesn't help anything. Corny as it sounds, aim for the stars and you might just reach the moon. Aim low and you might not even get off the ground...and no one will care if you do or not.

It's almost impossible to think of a solution to youth crime as there don't seem to be any effective deterrents...prison doesn't work, neither does victim confrontation. We need to figure out a way to deter and if possible rehabilitate current young criminals as well as finding a solution to prevent the next generation from following the same path. Education at home and outside the home is important, and I think you've hit the nail on the head too with community involvement. It takes a village to raise a child, and that's something that's sadly lacking. Again though, how can we fix it...I'm not sure.

Answer 5

the cause of youth crime is self indulgence on the part of the youths involved The have no respect, moral fibre, Life is a video game without consequence. But the sad thing is they do not even respect themselves. Blame society the parents the education system for letting them down The cause is the easy option, stamp your feet shout, attack steal, take.
What then are the consequences. A stern word from a ageing Magistrate, A ticked off embarrassed mother, The nasty policeman taking your prints to frighten you. God they will be trembling in there trainers, yeah right.

If you want to see care in the comunity in action brought about by this govrrment go to any magistrates court and see people who should be in mental care homes, self harmers ect being crimilised by the system but that sums it up no one cares so chuck them into the community cheeper to put them in prison that to treat the poor sods

Answer 6

It is too easy to blame shift it is the responsibility of both parents and society to instill core values and morals into young people. The main root of the problem is that the youth are bored and they like to meet in big groups for socialising, not immoral purposes as many ignorant people suggest. Youth is about socialising and being excepted within a peer group not vandalising and fighting.
Todays society doesn't seem to value it's youth or the community spirit which is long gone.

Answer 7

This is a good question and thank-you for not stereotyping "dysfunctional families" as these are often "better off families" too.
We do not offer very many consequences for a lot of young people when they offend. There is little fear of prison/court etc, it is worn like a badge of glory at times.
Our society is so fast moving and throw away that people don't have any interest in their communities any more..we put more credence on appearance, on materialistic things and are often judge by poverty or richness, and not the quality of some ones life, we have an expectancy on young people to day to fit into targets and academic standards and dish those that struggle, we admire people like famous rat packs and dish locals if they do similar, we have double standards.. Is it a wounder that young people wear the "f*** it" button on their heads.. We don't offer practical skills for none academics and make assumptions of those who are "bright" as not being the problem. We need a better legal system, we need to discourage children having children to allow them selves time to develop life skills, we need to revise how we think.. we need to include these kids and give them ownership, as well as punishment and responsibility for their misdoings.. We do need to teach problem solving skills, self respect and self worth, so they do not seek this from gangs and crime.

Answer 8

Youth crime figures show that it is not related to social status. Upper, middle, and lower class youth commit crimes. If you ask young offenders, they almost universally state they committed their offence "because there was nothing else to do". So, they claim they are not mad, not bad, just bored. However, the current generation of youngsters arguably has the greatest ever access to the biggest variety of leisure pursuits ever. How problem solving will help this beggars belief.

Answer 9

No longer the close nit community of 50 - 60 years ago our life styles have evolved. Pressure is put apon our children to be more aggressive, drive harder to reach unachievable goals. More opportunity to view adult material thru 24 hour media devoids them of traditional values nurtured thru the family network.
Family values have changed due to the interference of the Nanny state Children's rights and media interference.

Answer 10

The youth need better things to do with the spare time.
They need better role models.
Also the age of drinking should be raised to 21.
Give the youth something decent to do instead of letting them find there own amusement.