Home Secretary Theresa May has an important article in yesterday's Mail on Sunday, which is well worth a read.

She criticises a report issued by the London School of Economics/The Guardian, for containing some woolly thinking as to the reasons for the riots.

Mrs May counters the argument that the riots were about 'protest' and because of unemployment, asking why riots did not occur in many areas of the country where joblessness was far higher.

Moreover, far from being political protesters, the vast majority of rioters were looters - plain and simple. Looters who just wanted instant materialist gratification - acquiring stolen mobile electronics, Nike Trainers etc.

It is interesting that the LSE/Guardian Report spent very little time examining the views of those who were victims of the riots - particularly small shop keepers and householders who had there homes broken into.

The causes of the riots are much deeper and less predictable than the LSE/Guardian suggest. Family breakdown, community atomisation and failures in our schools play a significant part. The 'credit card society' - enjoy yourself now, pay later - bears some blame. But, so too does our judicial system, in which - at least until pre-riots - allowed the punishments meted out to lack a real deterrence against committing further offences.


Posted By Blogger to Rob's Blog at 12/18/2011 07:48:00 AM