PinB, I hold a very conservative view that some people are simply born bad. There are simply too many peasant kids turned good and rich kids turned bad to believe all the sociological bullsh!t.
And to cease the rise of chav and gun culture we must make our judiciary system two fold.
Forget about rehabilitation UNTIL a punishment has been serve or better still inflicted.
I have no qualms about torture and hard labour for even minor offences. Make examples of these and I can guarantee a massive decrease within a few days.
Example, kids caught smashing a bus stop. Let the police publically give the kids a kicking. Let the chavs film it on their stolen mobile phones. Let it be on Youtube, make the national news. If the kids saw their "brothers" in neighboring counties receive a dame good horse whipping, they WILL think twice next time. I mean broken bones, kicks to the groin, not some "home office approved" wrist lock and a tickle with a baton!!!
Reclaim the streets. Fight the scum with a force they can not beat. Bring in the Army if needs be. Suffer little children and within one week respect will return.