National Service

[Perdita]

Brooke Kinsella, the sister of the murdered 16-year old has called for National Service to be re-introduced as a way to stop the knife crimes. I would be interested in your views whether you agree with this or not. Is National Service the answer? Can the Armed Forces keep those gangs off the street and make them respect other lives?

[StarsOfCCTV]

I don't know about national service. I think it would be a bad idea if everyone was forced to do it. How long would national service last?

I saw an advert for a programme:
Documentary series presented by David Blunkett MP in which ten youths spend ten days in prison. Each of the teenagers has convictions ranging from theft to assault, but none of them have ever served time behind bars. In a unique experiment, they will find out what life in prison is truly like for the first time - but will it be enough to change their ways? In the opening instalment, the youths arrive at Scarborough Prison and face a tough time settling in to their new routine. (Channel 5 7th July, 9-10 pm)

I think that ^ would be a better idea.

[StarsOfCCTV]

double posted sorry

[di marco]

my grandad has always said that they should bring back national service! i dont know, cos for the kids who do behave themselves and dont go round with gangs and carrying knives, i dont think they should have to do it, it would be unfair on them

[Jojo]

Stop blimming health visitors telling parents they aren't allowed to shout/tell off their children would be a start.

Get parents installing discipline into their children again, learning respect for others etc - that would be a huge help in all of this, because there are so few people that seem to be teaching their children values these days and half of it comes from health visitors etc telling you, how you must ask your child not to do something, instead of telling them, as its negative and will taint the child when they are older!!!

Something needs to be done, but like Di M said, National Service would affect all children (well, males) and its not just with boys that this is happening, plus, those that have got values instilled into them, would also end up having to sign up - tarring everyone with the same brush.

[DaVeyWaVey]

National Service = no thanks. Personally, I wouldn't learn anything.. and I don't go around carrying weapons so I wouldn't want to be forced into something like that thank you very much!

I do like Kasple's idea though and think that would be a better solution.

[Perdita]

The other sie of the coin is that the Armed Forces are currently being staffed with volunteers, they want to do the job. Forcing people into something they don't really want to do might actually endanger those serving.

[Hollie-x]

My Mum has the same views. She said it would help so much with what's going on at the minute and in my opinion it would bring respect back into the community.

I was walking down the street the other day - just me and my cousin who is 6 months younger than me (we're both 15) and there was an elderly lady coming towards us on the same pavement and as she walked past she just looked at the ground and was clutching her bag so hard. It was horrible because it's people like those who commit these crimes that give us kida a bad reputation.

I know it's hard for other people to judge whether we're nice people or if we're going to start shouting abuse at them but I think it is because nobody has respect anymore, so they do what they do, resulting in us being given a bad name.

So I say yes!

[Perdita]

I can't help feeling that there is not the same home life anymore than there used to be, kids join gangs as they replace the families a lot of them have not got. Parents out to work all hours and probably too tired and stressed to spend quality time with their kids and money is tight, so they can't afford holidays as they are too expensive. As mentioned above, locally there is not much for youngsters to do, they get bored and then try to put some exitement into their lives by doing stupid things. This is just my opinion.

[di marco]

Stop blimming health visitors telling parents they aren't allowed to shout/tell off their children would be a start.

Get parents installing discipline into their children again, learning respect for others etc - that would be a huge help in all of this, because there are so few people that seem to be teaching their children values these days and half of it comes from health visitors etc telling you, how you must ask your child not to do something, instead of telling them, as its negative and will taint the child when they are older!!!

Something needs to be done, but like Di M said, National Service would affect all children (well, males) and its not just with boys that this is happening, plus, those that have got values instilled into them, would also end up having to sign up - tarring everyone with the same brush.

i think ems has got it right, i think one of the main reasons (if not the biggest reason) for kids acting this way is cos parents dont teach their kids respect and you arent allowed to discipline your kids anymore. other things can be blamed like nothing for kids to do etc but that applies to all kids, i never had anything to do but i havent joined a gang and dont carry a knife around with me, same goes for loads of other kids. to me i think thats just an excuse to in a way say its not the kids fault, when in fact its 100% the kids fault, as well as in some cases their parents. i know some kids rebel and their parents have tried their hardest to raise their kids well, but more and more parents these days are either too soft with their kids cos the government etc tell you not to punishment them when theyve been bad, or they just dont care whether their kids are being naughty or not. thats just my opinion but i just think so often other factors are blamed for what kids do just to try and take the blame away from the kids when at 15/16/17+ they are old enough to know its wrong and take full responsiblilty

i also quite like what stars said, but i read somewhere that something like three quarters of people who go to prison commit crimes after being released so i dont know whether trying to scare the kids by showing them what prison is like will help. tbh i think kids who are already teenagers theres not much that can be done to change them, i think making changes in the way younger childre are brought up might help more

sorry for the essay!