What punishments would better suit teenage monsters who have no respect or regard for the law or other people?

Question

I've always though substituting ASBO's and community service for a standard 3 year Conscription in the army for 3 time offenders

Answer 1

We can't use the Army like this. I know we all make jokes about the Army but they are highly trained professional soldiers and are the best in the world. What we could do is have boot camps of the style seen on Bad Lads Army on ITV staffed by ex Army personnel. This could start with drumming some discipline and respect into them and follow on with vocational training.

Answer 2

Punishment isn't the answer - prevention is. If you simply punish people, the "offences" would still eb commited.

What's needed is the restablishment of National Service for ALL (boys & girls) between the ages of 18 and 20, unless something like a University place is at stake, in which case the National Serive could be deffered til after the course has been completed.

The upshot being then that we get the troublemakers off the street and put them through some very vigourous training, where respect and self-discipline is critical, give them some self-worth, and at the same time, dramaticallty increase the number of "Reserve" soldiers to support our already overstretched military in the years to come.

Answer 3

One of my hobby-horses is that ALL people should go to prison for one week for their first offence and that they are subjected to a rigorous programme of rehabilitation and education; two weeks for a second offence. That way, reoffending MIGHT be nipped in the bud - the current system does nothing in the way of punishment until pepple are so far up the offending ladder that it is too late to stop.

However, for all young people, conscription may well be an answer to our current problems. But NOT necessarily into the Army - what have the Army and our volunteer soldiers done to deserve that?

I always advocate National Service, whereby they are all in a military-style environment and subjected to the rigours of military life - drill, exercise, early mornings and inspections.

But thereafter a variety of NATIONAL service - service to the nation. Perhaps maintaining local areas, helping old people, disabled people, prisoners in prison. A whole raft of different SERVICE, with only those who are suitable in the military.

What the old National Service did was get young people from all over the country mixing together on equal terms - this would ensure that estate children mixed with public school students, our ethnic groups would mix freely with the indigenous population - in my view it would give at least some chance to our young people getting back some discipline that is sadly missing, in many ways throughout the whole population.

Isn't it a sad indictment of this wonderful country that we have the most obese young people in Europe and the most anti-social young people, according to recent statistics?

Answer 4

The Army has always been thought of as the best place for young offenders - thank goodness the Army wouldn't have them! I don't want a lot of undisciplined morons fighting my battles abroad.
I do think public humiliation would help some of the hard cases who come from homes that have really tried to bring their children up well, and mentoring would help some who suffer from bad parenting.
The best thing would be to spot the potential troublemakers before they are 7 and get a 'super nanny' in to help the parents to do a better job.
When I was young (early 60s), the large family next door (with an alcoholic father) was 'given' an older, nice lady to help out every day. She taught the mother to cook, clean and nicely discipline , play with and read to the children.

Answer 5

At the moment Abso's are the only way of taking some control of these 'teenage monsters' as you put it. We have taken the fear out of being caught and give more protection to the perpetrator than the victim. The old borstal system was not considered PC enough for today's thinkers, who keep themselves isolated from the real world, therefore out of touch. However, the Asbo is not working because it needs 24 hour supervision, who is there to do that?

In my local paper I see youth's with 90 or more convictions for drug abuse, drug dealing, car crime, house breaking, intimidation and GBH and that was only one Youth. What do they get for their inevitable next crime? community service, with no one to supervise them. I will back your idea of army service as a way of teaching them to respect themselves as well as others. One thing that it should not be is an outlet for their violent behaviour

We have many super teenager's in our midst, so in no way can we paint them all the same colour, the problem is they get treated as suspect until proven otherwise, and that is not fair on the majority. Time to get the rest off our streets so we can walk them without fear.

Answer 6

Start with why parents do not get involved. Being a parent is the toughest job in the world,because if they had an effective education there would not be a reason for so many laws. The government and religious people use this to take away their final say so regarding their children. Do negligent parents exist ? Yes,but most would NEVER allow physical and psychological harm from anyone. Children of single parents have a tougher time. I strongly believe that it should be a father and a mother for raising children. Single mothers have done a good,but two is better when possible.

Love and patience is a must. Any kind of imprisonment only makes them worse unless they find a solution. The Peace Corps is a solution.

Answer 7

That's one of the best ideas i've heard for a long time.
On the news yesterday,there was a report on ASBO's,and how the offenders regard them as a badge of honour.Less than 50%,of offenders who get an ASBO, re-offend.
The majority just laugh in your face,so yes,a stint in the army would do them good.
Bring back NATIONAL SERVICE.

Answer 8

Ive always been a supporter of the 'boot camp' idea. We don't have that in the UK.. but the few experiments they had televised were a great success for taming the little 'angels'

They were made to work on farms with no privileges... they soon learned, and the farms could use the labour too

No neighbours to be offended by the tantrums... no chance of running away, lights out at a reasonable time because they were camping... they cooked their food as a team or went hungry

Are you taking note Tony Blair?

Answer 9

Since what they really need is a parent then the military would be an excellent option. But the parents should be punished, not the kids. Unfortunately, the division of social services is set up to prevent raising childre effectively so then it kinda falls back on the government. And then there's the cowards that refuse to stand up and take the country back form the politicians.......... good lord, maybe its time we got nuked.

Answer 10

ASBO's don't work anymore they are now just trophies for the chavs. Your considered "cool" if you have one.

I think more American style community service bright orange jump suits picking up litter on the streets, cleaning graffiti on the estates they terrorise, cutting grass, generally helping the communities they destroy. Maybe the council could put there tax down abit then.