I've always hated articles like the one I'm about to write.
Every day, the newspapers are filled with reports of burglaries, vicious assaults on elderly men and women who dare to stand up to violent gangs and so on. As an optimist, I'd always let out a sigh of slight frustration at reading articles declaring Britain's society to be "broken" or discussing the "ASBO generation", thinking the examples offered in the pieces were merely one-off, tragic events. Whilst isolated individuals had suffered problems at the hands of unruly youths, these were isolated. I failed to believe that British society was genuinely as troubled as these writers claimed.
I hate to admit it: they were right and in my naivety, I was wrong. Britain's society is broken and it took the 10:07 train to London Waterloo to prove that to me.
Sitting on the station platform, having annoyingly missed the previous train by a matter of minutes, I heard the following conversation shouted across from one platform to another:
"Oi mate, I thought you were still inside?!"
"Nah, I got let out yesterday"
"Cool. What were you in for?"
"Breach of ASBO and two burglaries"
"Seriously, that's sick" (meant in the congratulatory, not pejorative term)
"Where were you?"
"Feltham"
"Cool. I've got loads of mates who've been there"
"Yeah, Dave's getting out next week"
And so on.
As the youth on the other side of the platform departed, the recently freed teenager rejoined his gang of friends, making a litany of explicit remarks before tossing their drinks cans onto the railway tracks. Again, the recently released thug was high-fived and venerated by his gang of friends as he recounted his experiences in the young offenders’ institute.
An elderly women edged her way down the platform away from the gang to sniggers as one of their number chanted "granny f**ny" as she walked on.
They then boarded the train in the neighbouring carriage. As a fairly burly chap, I found their behaviour unpleasant, but not frightening. The same could not be said for the mother sitting near me who refused to let her young daughter use the toilet in the next carriage on the grounds that she was so intimidated by the gang.
Suddenly, all those articles I'd read - and scorned - came flooding back to me.
It's clear that we - and by that I mean this present Labour government and previous Conservative governments - have systematically failed in our approach to both basic law and order and teaching our young people decency and respect.
Seeing this kind of behaviour first-hand made me realise just how important it is for us to get things right when it comes to this area. Whilst the majority of us may read about anti-social behaviour or witness it every once in a while, there are clearly thousands of people who live with its consequences on a daily basis.
Having re-read the Executive Summary of Iain Duncan Smith's 'Breakdown Britain' report, I'd say we are on the right tracks.
There, you have it: I've written a piece identical to those I've always hated.
