The result of knee-jerk legislation
Tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime. The solution? You will be banned from owning more than one mobile phone! Er? And how do you propose to enforce that?
A mixture of law, politics, autobiography and humour. Once described as "The Devilish Advocate" (Guardian), I do have the ability to provoke a response. Sometimes it comes from someone who uses a thought process, and sometimes from jerks usually associated with the knee.
Yawn, yawn, almost as ludicrous as sex offenders having to register their e-mail "address" to police. But of course it is not about these things actually being enforceable or having any effect, it is that knee jerk appeasement of the screaming masses.
ReplyDeleteI just read the report on the beeb site about the latest crime stats - knife crime is down, but people think it is going up - so what do we do - tell people "no - you are wrong, it is not going up" full stop. Or, pander to that insecurity with knee jerk legislation and use the opportunity to extend ever more draconian powers to the police.
I almost went for that knife crime story. In any event, the perception is that it is on the increase because of all the recent publicity. On Look North this morning there was a report of a fatal stabbing last night...
ReplyDeleteTotally agree, it is all about perception. When I was a kid I seem to remember everyone used to carry a penknife in their pocket, those who were a bit more laddish used to smuggle flick knives back from day trips to France, and I seem to remember that whenever I went camping, hiking etc I used to have a 6 inch bowie knife swinging merrily from my belt. Are their really more knives now??? Possibly there is a larger proportion of society marginalised these days and lack of hope is a pretty sure way to make people do desperate things, but stats are stats and the problem is not a real one, at least not to any greater extent than it ever was. So lets make all kitchen knives blunt ended, then we'll ban screwdrivers, scissors, pickaxe handles, broomhandles... and in 50 years time when we are all living in padded cells and wearing straight jackets and all we can do is throw ourselves on someone and bite their nose off the debate will be whether teeth should be surgically removed at birth.
ReplyDeleteWhy not just fix the root problem, tell the truth, correct false perceptions and overall give people hope, not prey on their hysteria.