whose to blame?

[informashun]

most cimes are commited by 16-18year olds. think about it.
most of these will have left school at 16 and why?
they have no right to any source of income and these teenagers like anybody needs money .now i would be the last to advocate crime but imagine weekends roll around these youths are peniless, its a recipe for robbery.
this is a huge reason for stealing.
my view is some sort of compulsory scheme for those without work, meaningful and with pay. it could be done.

[JudgeJ]

There is no need for such a scheme. There is plenty of work for everybody in this country. This must be so because we are constantly being told that in order to prosper we must import armies of labour from abroad so that essential services and businesses can survive.

The reason that we have to do this whilst there are at least 1m and possibly up to 5m people of working age unemployed (precisely how many depends upon which categories you include in the count) is because many find it so much more agreeable to be paid by the State (i.e. the taxpayer) to do nothing than to do something which involves getting out of bed in the morning.

The country does not owe 16-18 year olds a living. They are old enough to decide whether to continue with their education or to take their chances in the real world. Further education is now more widely available than it has ever been and those aged 16-18 taking part in it are now paid to do so. If they choose not to they cannot all expect to become brain surgeons, stockbrokers or �celebrities� and they must, at least initially, expect to do something a little less glamorous to earn their keep.

They are also old enough to know what is right and what is wrong. If they choose to commit crime instead of working to fund their lifestyle, then the consequences should be made as unpleasant as possible.

Finally, 16-18 year olds do not commit the most crime. The crime statistics provide details of offences committed by 15-17 year olds, and those committed by 18-21 year olds. In 2005 there were 105k cases of proceedings against people in the younger group whilst there were some 189k prosecutions were laid against 18-21 year olds. However, the younger people do commit slightly more acquisitive offences of Robbery, Burglary and Theft. (26.4k against 23.1k). All the more reason why they should either stay at school or go to work.

[informashun]

thanx for your lucid responce judge.
i must state my comments were general but it is very prevalent in my neck of west yorkshire, big ex mining area,
the lack of work that is.
i no many who simply cannot find a job and the few places available on work schemes get �30 pounds per week.
i am still convinced that a young man with very little or no money is open to at least petty crime.
bordom and idle hands is a slippery slope.

[lady_p_gold]

Well I do find it hard to believe that they couldn't get a job doing something even if it is in a fast food restaurant or a call centre. Its not ideal but you can work you way up, as I know someone who started off in very dire straits on a low wage in a call centre and then taught himself programming and in four years was earning over 40k. Its a tough world out there but that is no reason to turn to stealing nor any excuse.

[Rev Sermon]

I'm not sure I agree with your logic about not working turning you into a criminal but I've long been an advocate of a system where nobody gets anything for nothing. I know there have to be some exceptions to the rule such as people who are severely mentally handicapped but very few people in life are incapable of doing anything.

If you are going to get state handouts then you should be doing something in return, for a start removing graffitti, picking up litter and generally improving the environment.

Ok, the pay might not match the work but it might force the legions of workshy to get up and give something back.

[informashun]

thanks for all your excellent responses which shows how deep the problem is.
i agree with sections of all your answers but the facts remain that those who leave school at 16 do so because they are not the brightest buttons.
i certainly dont agree with handouts but prior to retiring i dealt with many such youths during apprentice recruitment and many were illiterate, as can be imagined due to manyreasons.look at the tv nightly and see what happens.i dont support any ciminalactivity but it is all around us and action is needed not chastisment which wont change anything. most companies will not employ these youths.

[firehazzard]

I have just read this and am stunned by the amount of ignorance, Firstly there is not enough work and secondly boredom does create problems. I see this every day where i live. the reason people from abroad work here is because the work very cheaply and send money back home, employees driven by greed then employ these people, making it impossible for youngsters to get a decent job. One spoke of fast food restaurants , what 16-18 yr old aspires to work there,? NONE! When they realise that thats all there is their dreams are crushed their hopes destroyed. they become angry with society , that the fact of where they are born dictates their life. Anyone who says different , i offer you to live with me for a month and see it for yourselves. I'm not excusing this behavior but it makes me angry when i hear that theres plenty of jobs, there isn't, thats just govenment propaganda. Today it was reported that we as a country have the worst rate of child poverty in the western world, i know i live there.