No Bob it’s not time to remove the yobs, its time people realised that those yobs are real people!!!!

It’s easy to blame mindless thugs for wandering the streets causing mayhem; it’s not their fault for the state of our country, how many people bother to vote, 30%!!! The other 70% sit back and watch as the government bleed us dry, 70% sit back and watch as job opportunities for these yobs are taken away, venues where these yobs can be shown how to integrate into a civilised society don’t exist because councillors have chosen to withdrawn funding, they wander the streets because they have nowhere else to go.

When I was their age I had choices of swimming, dancing, ice skating, youth clubs etc, there were job skill training courses, what do they have today, nothing except pubs, who do they have as roll models? Councils and government that are totally incapable of supplying services to council residents and instead use the money they collect from us to pay for their luxuries like free pensions for councillors.

Bob these thugs are no different to the brave service a personnel protecting our country; the only difference is that the service personnel had the opportunity to make something of their lives, the yobs you talk about wondering the streets have been betrayed by society, give them the opportunity to learn a skill, give them hope for the future, stop putting them down, teach them to have respect for themselves, there are many great kids out there that want to be treated like a real human being instead of a feral kid that’s not wanted by our society.

If I had the choice between these kids or the corrupt officials running our government and councils, give me these kids anytime, at least we have a hope that these kids will do well in time with the right educational opportunities, I have yet to see any evidence that any councils or government have our interests at heart.

Jim of Bearwood.

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Jim, since these yobs are real people they should be held accountable for their actions like the rest. Liberal attitudes are giving them special treatment.

When I was younger I had nothing, with the self-serving government of the day was no better. I had no internet, either, for research or entertainment. I was no angel either, but it simply wasn’t in me to act the way these people do. It was simply a case of my parents being responsible adults, and knowing of my welfare and whereabouts until I as 18 years of age. It’s bad parenting, full stop.

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@Jim
Jim , what a wonderful world you live in. You think that these Yobs operate from the same mind set you do. How deluded you are.

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I think that the people who prefer to blame this problem on ‘society’ and portray those responsible as victims, have little understanding of what it’s like for the real victims. Their lives are a living hell yet they are guilty of no crime.

Alas, if you feel such sympathy towards the yobs, then I recommend you let them stop with you – and that you also compensate for the damage, stress as well as injury they create.

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JimG, I live in a relatively nice area compared to most of this region. Youngsters here have access to clubs and various other after-school activities. What I see isn’t a case of them being deprived and rebelling as a result..no..what I see is them appearing to act like spoiled brats, with no fear of deterrent. Homework or chores don’t seem to figure high o their list of priorities..

I reckon that their diet along with the way they’re cradled through life, makes them what they are: an avoidable menace that prays on their victims with relative impunity. I agree with the first post (and no, I do not hate young people either).

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Mjm, NO, you don’t blame the government you blame the British public who sit back and watch as the government THEY elected destroys the country, that is a typical British attitude, blame everyone else for what is your fault.

John why should these yobs conform to society’s standards and rules??????? Whats in it for them???
What has the country done for them????

Before Maggie Thatcher came to power people had jobs for life, they had prospects, they had reasonable job security, so while you may not have had anything you did have the prospect of getting a job, you did have the prospect of having a home of your own, what do youngsters have now???? Nothing!!!!

The only thing successive government have done since Maggie’s day is to mould a society where there is the “Haves” and the “Have Not’s” before Maggie most people were poor but had an income that allowed them to exist, now it’s either the fabulously rich, the rich or the down and outs with nothing, those with jobs and their own homes are constantly living on a knife edge.

John I am a parent and knowing where your child is doesn’t mean a thing, its nothing to do with bad parenting its all to do with a child being bought up in a society where they can feel a part of that society.

This government that you and I elected into office, has designed a society where people are coerced into having unlimited numbers of children, the prize for producing those children being free money to ensure they keep producing.

This government knowing there is insufficient work for those children when they leave school then imports even more people, so job prospects for those children are even worse, and we all sit back and watch them do it.

No matter if you had children chained to their parents every minute of the day it wouldn’t stop this problem, its nothing to do with bad parenting, if you believe that ask yourself why the government are not taking action against parents whose children cause this trouble? Its because they know they are in the wrong, they know they have forced manufacturers to move their companies abroad where labour is cheaper and they wont get taxed out of business.

You want these parents and their offspring’s to take responsibility for their actions???? Give them something of value they can lose if they don’t, at the moment they have nothing to lose from breaking the law, they know from when they are born they will just be seen as a problem in society, no job, no prospects and no respect, and that when they are officially thrown on the scrapheap at 16 years of age the government will pay them to do nothing even if they do cause trouble and break the law.

Jim of Bearwood.

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Jim as ever tries to convince us all to his anti council views by inundating us with column inches. He must be taking lessons from Connor Davies. Try to be compact in your posts Jim otherwise you may convince us all that you are a member of the very thing (council/government) you seem to want to bring down. Whenever someone tries to put activities into an area such as those in Jims long gone youth, what do we read in the press ? Club “x” destroyed by vandals… that really marries up with his “give them something to do” rhetoric.

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Jim I think good social upbringing begins in the home, plain and simple. You cannot let society bring up goods, or governments – that’s not their job. Perhaps that is where we are failing.

Jim, my Mom and Dad had very little, but what they had they gave me – we also grew up in a very rough area. You play the cards you are dealt and you accept the responsibility to put your children first: educate them, guide them – know where they are and what they are upto as best you can..then they’ll be in a position to actually do something constructive about this government. If the job’s too hard, the solution is simple: don’t have kids. Don’t put the burden onto someone else. I know you are frustrated with this government Jim and I think your heart is in the right place, I just disagree where the blame lies, as well as the solution. Portraying yobs purely as victims is playing the blame game..the buck has to stop somewhere.

I’m getting off my soap box now, let someone else have a say.

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Bob, whatever gave you the impression that I am anti council?

Bob, I think Sandwell Labour Council are brilliant, I wouldn’t live anywhere else, what other council would spend £72 million on something like “The Public”, that gets so packed and is making so much money that I think other councils might want to build one in their town.

And of course their experience at planning shopping centres like the one in Bearwood is the envy of everyone; I think it was just coincidence that after the council destroyed Bearwood High Street, all the shops started closing down, it was 12 at the last count.

I don’t even have to go to Asia to experience the living conditions there; I can now see dirty filthy rat infested streets all over the borough where I live, it saved me a fortune in travel costs.

I wouldn’t want anyone else to control the council tax that I am paying them, I think the £450.000 they spent on putting a load of rocks on Birchley Traffic island was excellent value for money.

Jim of Bearwood.

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My friends from the States always comment on the very rude and abusive attitude of some teenagers here, and how young people are to be walking the streets rather than be at home where they can be monitored. The streets are the where they learn their lessons and they simply grow up too fast. Some the adults are no better either, since they grew up the same way and are unfit to even be parents.

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you can explain the causes til you are blue in the face, but both sides of the debate will agree that the man in the street is giong to do nowt about it.

thus it is up to the gvt to act, and act in an effective manner.

when you harm or abuse your fellow man you give up the right to be treated like a citizen, you then place yourself at the mercy of the judicial system.

the removal of authority and punishment directly coincides with the rise in anti social behaviour – its that bloody simple.

let a thinktank decide how to reform these ferral individuals, in isolation, but allowing them to terrorise law obiding citizens at will is insane… why should the rest of society have to give up their basic human rights for these miscreants. you have lost yourselves in PC quandry if you dont understand this.

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Anti Social Behaviour – ummmm, maybe if these yobs were punished correctly and learnt respect, the ability to behave, or pay the price, the majority of law abiding citizens of this once great Country wouldn’t keep losing out.

A minority of idiotic, stupid yobs destroy so much for the majority. Bring back discipline, and ‘true’ punishment and proper coppers who can provide protection and support the ‘true’ law of the land.

Get rid of the hand wringing feminised ideals of the left for these idiots have destroyed responsbility, and respect.

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All of us start out in life with a slap on the backside, knowing nothing of good or evil, how to behave or integrate with society. What shapes us for good or ill is the conditioning (upbringing)we receive from our parents.

I put our current difficulty down to the so called “permissive 60′s” when parents allowed their children free rein with respect to attitudes, empathy with others, general standards and lack of discipline.

Those children are now today’s parents. They have few standards or codes of behaviour to pass on to their children because they were not taught any. I give one example from a colleague teaching a class of 10 year olds.

Boy enters room, 10 minutes late, slamming the door behind him. Without any reference to the teacher, he walks diagonally across his classmates desks, stands on his own desk, opens the window and sits down.

When the teacher questions his behaviour he replies “what’s your problem woman!” If this is his attitude at 10, God help us when he is a strapping 18 year old.

Unfortunately this is the situation in which we find ourselves and, sorry to relate Jim G, your sympathetic remedy will not help the likes of the above 10 year old.

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JimG you are a clown.Bring back flogging, the yobs might understand that. Better still send them to teh front line in Iraq and get the lazy sods to do some National Service.People like you get my goat, condoning their behaviour.There is NO EXCUSE so wake up you fool

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