Cameras and cops won’t stop hooliganism

Sir,

I feel that I must write in response to D. Demetriou (Sunday Mail July 27) who advocates stricter laws and sentences to curb unacceptable behaviour from young people in our societies.

While I agree that young thugs are becoming bolder and bolder, there is nothing that can be done to stop them, because if somebody wants to break the law, they will do so, regardless of the potential punishment.

Just look at the example of the United States, which employs the ultimate deterrent of the death penalty. This does not stop people committing murder, with their society arguably being one of the most violent in the world.

In fact, nearly every criminal thinks they will never be caught, so do not think about the personal consequences of their actions.

You can catch 10 people and subject them to harsher punishments but around the corner are another 100 plotting their next act of violence or anti-social behaviour.

As far as Mr Demetriou’s suggestion of putting more officers on the beat and more cameras on street corners, let me remind him that the UK, where he lives, has one of the highest numbers of cameras per capita and this has not stopped the hooligans from misbehaving.

Does he want to live in an Orwellian-type police state where our every move is being watched and citizens have fewer and fewer rights, as in America?

Yes, youths are behaving badly and the situation is worsening but this is a fact of life in the 21st century and human evolution. Families are less close-knit and teenagers more impressionable.

Crimes have been committed for thousands of years and will continue to be committed for thousands of years in the future. No deterrent will stop somebody if that is what they want to do and people must accept this reality.

Leonidas Stratis,
Nicosia

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