Antisocial behaviour

Friday, 21, Nov 2008 12:19

It’s interesting to read on the BBC message boards and Have Your Say page that the much public opinion seems to support the “hang ‘em” solution (implying that these ”scum” are lost causes, naturally doomed to forever commit crimes until the Justice System is well enough equipped to discipline and imprison them effectively) rather than taking the more optimistic view that many young people today are bored and turning to crime only in order to fill a void created by the unhealthy environment around them.

The fact that really needs to be addressed is that everyone is born with innate emotional needs that have to be fulfilled in the world if we are to flourish and be mentally healthy. (Psychologists call these needs ‘human givens’ because they are programmed into us from our genes.) If families, schools and society generally prevent children from getting their innate needs met in balanced and productive ways, we are, in effect, stopping them maturing well by stunting their mental and emotional life.

The rising levels of violent crime occurs as young people try to meet their innate needs, which nature is driving them to do, by turning to unhealthy ways of doing so because nothing else more wholesome is on offer. Delinquent behaviour follows on from a natural effort to fulfill these needs; as when the needs for connection to the wider community and for status is met by belonging to a criminal gang; or the need to be stretched is met by becoming a skilled burglar. Such behaviour makes them feel that life is meaningful. Crime is a destructive path to follow, but it does fulfill many of these emotional needs for these deprived youngsters.

People don’t come into the world as criminals but much of the culture in the UK at the moment provides the perfect conditions for generating mental illness and raising children to be violent and antisocial. It is our society that is creating young criminals.

It will require drastic measures to create a more healthy society and, until there is a deeper understanding of the importance of this backed up by the political will to do something about it, these problems and the tragedies that follow from them will only get worse.