Wednesday 7 September 2011

Riots: The need for a voice and rehabilitation for the repeat offender

Last night's amazing London Evening Standard piece on a sea-change being needed in Criminal Justice:
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23984312-met-london-riots-were-a-wake-up-call-for-criminal-justice-system.do
My briefest analysis of the two  causes of the riots that provide a clear set of necessary remedial actions is as follows:
1) A break down of shared values such as openness and accountability 
(reference here not only to the readiness to break the law but to the absence of a police statement to the demonstration outside Tottenham Police Station)
2) The active marginalisation of many young people & the perception of those people as being  marginalised in status/wellbeing & justice in a consumer society with all it's trappings.

My corresponding questions are whether you and I are aware of the times we contribute to:
1) the breakdown of values such as openness & accountability?
2) marginalization of others?

The more we become aware of these two things, the less surprised we will be when those others choose to move down the line of protest or taking what they want, wrecking havoc etc - "the rioter line" as I would call it in homage to Myrna Lewis's work on "the terrorist line" in her seminal book, "Inside the No".

I STRONGLY RECOMMEND that you walk inside the no, and see what the world looks like with your (would-be & ameliorable) adversary's shoes on.

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