What's the answer to teenage yobbery?

22/02/2008

As the mother of a recently retired professional soldier who had given 25 years of his life to serving his country, I can tell you that our men do not need these yobs joining them and putting their lives at increased risk.

Many of them are dregs of society, not because of their own fault alone but often because our generation or our children's generation have not shown parental responsibility.

It is time the parents of these yobs were punished and made to attend a boot camp in how to bring up children and the yobs themselves had to attend a really punishing regime and suffer the punishments we used to suffer.

I think the cane in schools should be brought back and parents should be allowed to smack children again.

The old adage "Spare the rod and spoil the child" is proving to be accurate.  However, may I add that I have seven grandchildren and not one of them is any problem.  Where are they when the lights go on?  In their own homes doing homework and hobby pursuits - not in the street terrifying innocent neighbours.

Doris Bavister