RIOT TORN CITIES (From The Northern Echo)

RIOT TORN CITIES

4:51pm Wednesday 10th August 2011 in County Durham Community Foundation By Barbara Gubbins

Where do we begin when analysing the causes for the riots that are being experienced across England? Is it bad parenting, wanton criminality or just boredom?

I think the answers are very deep rooted - not excusable in any way, shape or form - but there must be some serious breakdown in parts of our society. Lack of respect for authority, the community and our fellow-man/woman are apparent here.

The rioters are doing it simply because they can, and do not appear to care whether they are brought to justice and punished afterwards.

We must make sure that those individuals who are caught, are interviewed carefully, profiled against their background, previous criminal behaviour and potential reasons for being involved. A pattern will no doubt emerge that can then be looked at to see how we can really get serious about changing behaviours and finding something meaningful and rewarding for these individuals to do with their time.

The answer is not to just write them off as scum and worthless. There is an inherent problem there somewhere that we need to address.