General Chat

I am so sorry to read that, Julie.

x x

I know how you and your sister feel Julie, after all I'm surrounded by this sort of thing here too. I worry for Jamie when he gets older - will he get in with the wrong crowd or will he be targeted for being 'good' - it's hard to know what to do for the best. Years ago a self-defence or Karate course would help them to defend themselves, but that doesn't work against a knife or gun. It's tempting to lock your kids up just to keep them safe, but you can't, they have to grow up sometime.

I think most of the problem comes down to parenting - maybe not even this generation but the one before too. Not enough discipline in the home from an early age, absentee fathers, poor attendance at school - all these things passed on to today's parents. I don't blame schools - they can only build on what has been instilled at home first.

Maz. XX

What a shock for your nephew. we do live in very violent times. I feel that, although there has always been gang fights it is only in the last decade or so that there have been so many 'casual' murders. This seems to be down to the knife/gun and drug culture that now exists. Drugs seem to be behind a lot of it but I wonder if we can rule out the violence on TV, in films, and in PC games etc. there is no perception of the distress that losing a family member can cause. These thugs, often high and out of their brains on drugs, just lash out, no respect for life or families. Because they are often off their heads on drugs, the penalties they might get wont bother them.

I was reading this morning about the families of the two French students who were murdered by two thugs, high on drugs, one of whom should have been already in prison, I felt very distressed for the families. two good kind intelligent young men wiped out by two mindless thugs.

Ann
glos

Thank you ladies...My sister is very worried for her son

There has never been proof that capital punishment is a deterrent to would-be murderers. Having said that I don't think I could suggest an answer to the growing violence in most countries.

Sue x

Many years ago l used to walk pass Wandsworth prison and on the common and always felt safe now when l visit London l wouldn't do these things. is it because l'm a lot older or is it the world we live in now..............probably as bit of both, l do not believe the cane is the answer l still remember the boys at junior school who'd had the cane, oh how l felt for them, would hate any child to have to go through that during their school years. Will these killings ever decrease, me l donot think so, till we have punishment to fit the crime then we will keep seeing death and destruction.

Denise I know what you're saying but I don't believe you can cane a child to teach them to not solve problems through physical violence. If we hit in anger we teach our children that "might is right".

Julie what an awful experience for your nephew to go through. It would be frightening to think that this sort of thing is going on in your own neighbourhood. Last year my mother rang me to say that a police helicopter was circling over the streets in the small town she lives in. As we were only a few minutes away I hoped to drive over to see her as she was concerned only to find a road block. We found later that a man had killed his wife and was on the run. It was incredible to have this happen in the place I grew up in. I hope your nephew gets through this dreadful time.

Sue x

Oh Julie........ the world we live in today is a scary place, I have young children, we decided to move from a city for that reason, only to find it happens in small villages also.

The world today has no discipline, I'm not saying that every child should be brutally beaten, however I do beleive that a "clip around the ear hole" would certainly have helped to ensure that the youngster of today have a little more respect.

Violence has always happened......... unfortunately it has increased to such a state that unless something is done soon, I think this maybe the tip of the iceberg. My own personal opinion is that the cane should be reintroduced back into the schooling system, it's a start in hoping to reinstate some "consequences" back into our youngsters lives.

Please send my sympathies to your nephew,

There is all too much of this 'being in the wrong place at the wrong time' with innocent lives being lost for no reason other than that.

Drugs, alcohol, guns and knives are too easily obtained - but attitude has a lot to do with it too.

Yesterday my Nephew was at the funeral of a friend who was shot outside Wandsworth prison only to find out that a young man was shot on the estate that he & my sister lives on.