Wave of Car-Jackings Hits Belfast

[gweedo prophet]

But guess what........they don't care. We look at punishments from the perspective of people with a sense of pride or decency. Most of these hoods have neither so they care little about society's sanctions. Perhaps stop giving them benefits in the form of cash, benefits in kind instead. If they need milk, provide a milk supply not cash. If they need food, give them access to a supply, not cash. Or send them to Somalia to make their own way there.

There is always a hardcore who are so detached from society and reality that none of the available sanctions will make a difference. But your average hood needs a home and a bed to crawl back into after a night wrecking the community and in many cases the threat of eviction may impact on parents who up until this point didn't give a damn what their offspring were up to at 3am - as long as they weren't bothering them. Certainly no panacea for hoods but it may help deter some of them.

I think your point about using some of their benefits to compensate for their crimes is a good one. And also the measures you suggest to ensure the money they do get goes on food.

[gweedo prophet]

It sounds more like an under-class ghetto in the way some neighbourhoods in USA have in that area around Albert Street. Seems like its out of control.

There are certainly communities across the North where those who can move out have done so and all that's left are those without the capacity to move elsewhere

[gweedo prophet]

Problem in all areas and it is unblelievable in this day and age that children are being dragged up in the same circumasances as the hungry 30's.Everything has been tried "positive parenting" , asbo's ,intervention (usually at crisis point) , kids not fed and left to go feral.Full time job for police and agencies chasing after these folk and the communities are suffering, we now seem to have several generations of folk who make no contribution and cost us all money and heartbreak.What is to be done ? Re-open the Maze ,only run by army ,teachers , social workers , drugs counsellors etc etc.Crosses all our sectarian divides and affects all GB ,NI, and ROI .

This type of criminal behaviour - like unemployment, lack of aspiration, substance abuse ect is definitely generational for a disturbing number of families across Irealnd and britain. I know of one family where the kids, their father, mother, uncles, aunts and even granny are involved in the drug trade. What chance did the current crop of teenagers ever have? Needless to say they're all drug dealers.

[vinoboy]

This type of criminal behaviour - like unemployment, lack of aspiration, substance abuse ect is definitely generational for a disturbing number of families across Irealnd and britain. I know of one family where the kids, their father, mother, uncles, aunts and even granny are involved in the drug trade. What chance did the current crop of teenagers ever have? Needless to say they're all drug dealers.

Sterilisation,jail ,send them to an island ?The wear and tear on the "decent " folk who are trying to get by on same benefits or doing low paid work is unbelievable and I have met many at the end of their tether waiting on convulted legal actions and stifling bureaucracy .Sad , to say a smack from an authority figure to these eejits is only thing they understand.But , yes, would withold benefits and start drug testing them and compelling them to do some work in their own areas, picking up litter.I would , also, put best youth leaders in these areas with some facilities to see if we can rescue some of the young ones .Climate of lawlessness in NI has contributed to this worsening situation. Gawd , beginning to sound like a Daily Mail reader , must see what Guardian tells me on such matters .You do end up swinging between trying to apply logic and then you meet some of these thugs and you think ,logic will not work.Authorities need to get some credibility back in these areas.

[Paradosis]

Ulster had the lowest crime rate in western Europe before the Troubles. There is a prize to be paid for secularization.

[Castle Ray]

There are certainly communities across the North where those who can move out have done so and all that's left are those without the capacity to move elsewhere

Agree. But from what I can see this area has become devoid of any social fabric and it is worrying that an entire area of that size is beyond community pride and pressure. It's being described as totally lawless with no answer to combat the problem.

[vaudeville]

You do end up swinging between trying to apply logic and then you meet some of these thugs and you think ,logic will not work.Authorities need to get some credibility back in these areas.

I don't know many in the Divis area but know 4 individuals who's lives are destroyed / gone, in the past 3 years as a result of violent attacks.

It sounds more like an under-class ghetto in the way some neighbourhoods in USA have in that area around Albert Street. Seems like its out of control.

Beyond control, unless the authorities and community representatives tackle the problem.

"Public representatives have been saying to police for a substantial period of time - before these hijackings - that the same people who are being looked for now have been torturing people down there over a substantial period of time".

"We need to deal with the ringleaders. The community is up for sorting out this problem," he added.

Policing Board member Gerry Kelly

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The community are frightened and equivocal.