The Rev Jack's Diary
Created | Updated Jul 22, 2004
Crime and punishment
Once again, for the third time this year alone, I have had my car broken into. They smashed a window and had a quick rummage through the car - nothing worth taking as everything was removed the first time it was broken into! I watched them doing it, phoned the police and waited 3 hours for them to arrive! The youngest was around 11 years of age, not at school - as it was midweek it was to be expected. The others were around 14 years of age. So I'm not happy about it but there, what can you do about it? Nothing! Because if you do, you end up in the dock instead of the 'petty thief' and that's the long and the short of it!
The simple fact is that they (these little cherubs) seem to deem it their 'given right and duty' to do this sort of criminal act to people and, when caught, they know that nothing - and I mean nothing - will be done to them! Can be done to them! Even prison, when used, is not a
deterrent to them. They just use it to gain further knowledge and criminal skills. All this seems to start at an earlier and earlier age! Nothing but negative behavior, within our society, seems to be rewarded at the moment!
So just where does this attitude come from; a complete lack of respect for other people and their property? Bearing in mind that the demand from them is complete obedience to allow them to carry on when and where they want to. The odd party in a field springs to mind; trash the odd bus stop/phone box or whatever the local authority places in the playground (cost to us? The rates! Really, mum/dad pays)! Then, if you say something to them when trying to defend yourself or property, you just get abuse.
And then there's the police. They are just as bad considering most of us pay their wages. Just trying to get them out of the car (a nice Volvo or Skoda or Ford) or even the police station to tackle the little cherubs setting fire to your car is a great task in its self! Oh why, oh why, can't the little fella's set fire to the speed camera's? No I'll not go there!
So once again, when the government starts to waffle on about dealing with anti social behaviour and petty crime, why do I start to yawn and throw something at the TV? Just watching the TV news trying to get a
balanced view was an interesting experience in itself! Now, I have to give you a little bit of an interview from one of the (do good'ers)
'These family's/kids are for the most part impoverished; broken backgrounds and under achievers1 also the anti social behaviour order (ASBO) seems to not work!'
But here's the crunch. These 'experts' who are wheeled out to provide a 'balancing view for the interview' never provide a solution that's a sensible, workable solution. Again, nothing more than waffle. It's Joe public that once again ends up paying both financially and emotionally!
For so many people the response is 'Bring back the birch' and 'lock'um away and throw away the key' but I fear that this has been tried before and again it's not worked. As I said earlier, it just places them inside a place of education so, when they come out, they have a better skill base. Need I say more? Those on the other side will say 'National service' - send them in the army. But why should we allow these criminals to serve our country to undermine the voluntary nature of our armed forces? As it seems to me they wish to only serve their own needs and wants! But a sort of 'National Service' army controlled could provide a framework or structure!
What gave me the idea was watching the TV news; harrowing pictures of refuges in a drought, flood, earthquake, aftermath of some conflict, people and kids with landmine wounds all in need of help, aid! It made me think. So you can see where I'm going. Why not use these convicted 'petty criminals'? If they can 'joy ride' your car why not 'joy ride' a truck of aid in an aid compound! Maybe dig a new, clean-water well for someone instead of digging a big hole in your garden wall so they can walk to the shops instead of walking the extra 100 meters on the road. Build a new school instead of setting fire to their own school or, if they are good enough, clearing landmines or something of the like - of course after they have been trained! Turn their anti social behaviour in to some sort of responsible behaviour. Educate, provide a skill. Become an apprentice may be but, and here comes the crunch, they are placed outside the country to do the 'National service'.
We have some of the nicest islands around the world! The Falklands springs to mind! Place them there to do their six weeks induction training and medical, before being moved out to a new camp - just a thought. Or is it just me thinking a strange way? Perhaps it's a little too simplistic for it to work. Rather than locking them away, which seems to be a complete waste of resources, time and effort, remove them from our society. Away from mummy's skirts (she does the washing
usually), the peer pressure, (stood around, in front of the local shops) learning a proper skill. It could be made to last from 2 to 5 years, serving all over the world, being kept away from home learning as an apprentice2.
Now I'll agree that this might be dangerous as aid, by its very nature, is delivered to desperate people. But it needs to be done! These are people in need of help! A punishment can be served but be productive at the same time! Also I'm sure that this could be worked out if we really want to do it!
'Think not, of what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.'
A great quote I think! But it's been lost to a generation of our young
people and family's too who are turned in on themselves and only think of themselves and what they can take from the state/us3 and that's a shame. As our community is global we should be thinking globally and I might just change the quote a bit; instead of 'country' add the word 'world'. I think that in some corners of a round world it can be hard, really hard! Let them see it not from the glass tube in the corner of the room but from experience, by 'being there'. No one asked if our 'National service men' wanted to go. They were posted to a posting 'for the duration'. No choice. But everyone I spoke to over this said 'It was the best thing ever' and 'I wouldn't have missed it' It seems to sum it up for them!
The broken glass in my car needs to be replaced and hoovered out and I'm not bothering with an insurance claim as it's not worth the hassle and the extra cost next time! So I'll just take it again in the pocket and keep quietish!
Living in hope
Rev Jack
