Does The Sun have a point?

[Loosehead]

Ok it's only the Sun and I know all the lefties will be spitting out their, organic peace musli, but the front page isn't lying is it?
http://news.sky.com/skynews/picture_gallery/pi cture_gallery/0,,91232-1301497-5,00.html
even the home sec say she won't walk the streets after dark:
http://news.sky.com/skynews/picture_gallery/pi cture_gallery/0,,91232-1301497-3,00.html

[Supernick]

I feel in a better position to answer this than ever after events from last night, where a guy was attacked by a machete on my front doorstep. We've had the cops and CID round, and the house was cordoned off with police tape.

We do have a problem in certain areas with young men and women involced in extreme violence. This does need to be clamped down upon, and I would like to see stiff penalties imposed for possession of weapons. However, these incidents are really quite rare and I'm certainly not scared to step outside. I've never been threatened or suffered any anti-social abuse.
General anti-social behaviour needs to be tackled as well, but I'd like to see the estate kids given more to do, youth clubs and facilities etc. Round our way they've got a park with nothing in it, not even any goal posts. There are no clubs etc, so they all hang around on the streets. Get a big enough group of them and sooner or later boredom and bravado is going to result in a disturbance.

[Gromit]

A sun reader writes.

I'm glad that one of them can.

[ELVIS68]

So 10 years of Blairs "Tough on crime" policy didn`t work then?

Until the police have more powers and the courts give out tougher sentences this will never go away

There should be a minimum sentence for knife and gun possession of say 5 and 10 years without early release

Any gangs loitering should be given a year in boot camp

Problem solved

[jake-the-peg]

I distinctly remember the very same sort of front pages 15 years ago when it was Yardie gangs attacking people and each other with machettes.

The "Hell in a handbasket" front page is a perennial favorite.

Increasing penalties do not deter people who do not think they will be caught.

What is needed is not ever stiffer penalties but better arrest figures for those that we already have.

We need spot checks with metal detectors. Police going to pubs and clubs where there has been instances of trouble, scanning everybody and arresting and charging anybody with a knife.

[paulos66]

I'd be scared to walk the streets in daylight never mind after dark if I'd just recently ripped off every police officer in the country

[youngmafbog]

We need both a mixture of Elvis and Jake. Its not good arresting them if sentences are erratic and in some cases useless. Minumum setnences shoudl be 5 yrs for carrying a knife coupled with metal detectors will soon put a stop to it.
The public need to make a stand, the problem is most are afraid, both of the consequnce from the knife of teh feral youth and of the authorities that see the public spirited public as an easy target to prosecute too. Keeps the figures good.
Coupled with this we need to get rid of some of the liberal police chiefs and criminalise drugs - properly.

Zero tolerance and three stikes and your out for anti social behavoiur in addition.
Rehabilitaion in 'army style' camps teaching feral youths the value of life and those around. Not simply locking them up.
We need to reinstate the authority of the police and adults but until Noo labour return power to parents the police and public this will not happen.

[anotheoldgit]

A sun reader writes.

I'm glad that one of them can.

You are getting such a pompous snob Gromit, why belittle in such a way, the thousands of people who read the Sun..

Everyone to their own, or does one class anyone who reads novels somewhat more inferior, when their time would be better spent reading Non-fiction.

Perhaps you are now beginning to class Answerbank a little below your intellect Gromit? You would then not have to answer questions posted by those who you class inferior to yourself.

[Gromit]

anotheoldgit

Just having a bad day and need someone to grumble at.

Is that why you are ignoring my questions in shopping?

[kwicky]

If the crime rate is going down why do we have to build more prisons?

[anotheoldgit]

You have got me at it now Gromit, I have answered you in the wrong question.

It's in AB asks.

[jno]

the home secretary won't walk the streets after dark... probably afraid of feral Tories. Fortunately, the home secretary is in a position to do something about it.

[beatlegal2]

i lefti,and i agree with what sun says,but i don't read sun.got me own views no need tthat rags views,besides my views natual justice left to families of victims,but got be careful no end up sharia law cos that evil as these no marks

[jno]

Bear in mind this is the paper whose editor spent the night in chokey after assaulting her husband, the well known Ross Kemp. Obviously she wants the streets to be safe, as it's not safe inside her home.

[anotheoldgit]

Please when quoting intelligence please learn to pay attention Newsdesk ! !

I have never said that I read the Sun, I was just sticking up for the right of other people to read it if they wish.

But then those members of the Loony Left such as you, do not like anyone to have the freedom to partake in anything that the Loony Left would wish to censor..

[Gromit]

Is this the same Sun newspaper that printed the email address of a Swiss referee and he subsequently received 16,000 death threats from Sun Readers?

[rojash]

When I lived in England, a guy was attacked and stabbed in our small town - he ran to the police station for help but it was closed at night as part of an efficiency drive. His attacker followed him and continued to assault him until stumbled into a pub where he died.

This was during Thatcher's reign, so I don't think much has changed really. I think articles like this reflect which party Murdoch happens to be supporting at the time, rather than any changes in reality.

[anotheoldgit]

Rojosh

This was during Thatcher's reign, so I don't think much has changed really.

Oh but I think it has, the difference is under Blair's and Brown's reign, your example is no longer a rare occurrence in our country. Murder, by gun or knife has become almost a daily happening.