spiked-liberties | Article | Making capital out of punishment: "Josie Appleton
Britain is ravaged by crime. The 1960s liberal consensus has eroded people's sense of social responsibility, fuelling a culture of 'thuggery and intimidation'. 'Feral children' are terrorising London boroughs, and people live in fear of violent crime. Decent, law-abiding citizens are crying out for the government to do something about it.
But the crime strategy is less a response to a real public menace than a vehicle for New Labour's political agenda. Rather than catching criminals, this is a plan for connecting with citizens. What we are seeing is an isolated political elite trying to use the police, courts and law for social inclusion, in an attempt to connect with people and show them that the government cares."
