Hi all
Were moving back soon and so happy, but is this violence got worsr over the last 20 years. I remeber unprovoked fighting in pubs, but jeeze.....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...et/4110188.stm

I dont think it has its just the media is focussing strongly on it at the moment. Also when considering a big move as you are its one of those issues that you become very sensitive about.

I'm sure their are others that will disagree. Why dont you look at some stats

In the news today.....they are going to use the army to control drunkeness in towns.
I live a few mins from the high street, every morning we see pools of vomit and broken glass. However whatever happens on the high street doesn't spill onto my road. we are unaware of whats going on.
the main problem is the local councils who grant licences regardless of local opinion.

I think,as usual, it all boils down to where you live and I wouldn't worry too much.

It all depends where you live.Just like USA.Only difference is most of the crime here in US is gun orientated,in UK its young yobs, who if are confronted will run like the cowards they are.

What ever happend to Charles Bronson and Dirty Harry??They were the good guys.
Seriously,I blame it on the British press.

I don't know that this type of violence (in the BBC news article) is typical of the US. Sure, you can get mugged if you go to an ATM in the middle of the night, or wander around the "wrong" part of any town, in the States. But in the UK, there seems to be a rash of unprovoked violence to people who are minding their own business in what otherwise seems like a decent area. Even the village I used to live in in Scotland is plagued by "neds" who make people want to cross the streets. I just don't see the same thing in the States - though granted, you're right about the gun-oriented violence in the States. We've had several gang-related shootings in my town over the past few weeks, and the population is only 60,000.

Completely agree with above, we live 30 minutes from Poole and I'm shocked at this violence - an unprovoked attack on a light sunny evening by a bunch of feral yobs, it disgusts me. This wasn't a no-go, drug area, where can you go?

The victims wife made a statement today saying this could happen to any family, they are completely destroyed and her husband (a barrister) is unlikely to recover completely due to his head injuries, how tragic, my heart goes out to them.

We've been out of the UK for over 2 years and I don't remember this kind of crime, why are we seeing this? What's changed?

I agree its a complete disgrace. With any luck if he's a barrister then things may change because of this, these yobs may have just picked on the wrong person.

The UK criminal justice system is so biased in favour of the criminals that even if these kids are caught, they will probably just get given a token sentence. As a barrister, the victim and his family will know this as well as anybody, which is a double blow to them. All they can hope is that he makes some sort of recovery, but if they want any justice for the crime then the odds are strongly against it.

I think the fact that the media are focusing on violence at the moment and it doesn't help.

Yet, Brisbane was the focus on violence in their city just before I left the country so it happens everywhere.

And it all depends on where you plan to live, I should imagine that London and other main cities have more of a problems than small towns and villages.

The uk isn't the bad place some people portray, everywhere has the same problem, don't let it put you off coming home. I haven't seen any violence since coming home.

Mandy

Its a terrible thing, violence, especially when some innocent bystander is involved. But it is NOT happening just in Britain! There are 'bad spots' here in the states you dont visit because more than likely you will be a victim. There are also many good places that randomly crime happens to innocent people. Four or five years ago we had a rash of crimes here in Jax where cars were being followed and when you got out of your car at home you would be jumped and robbed. My neighbour about five houses down pulled up in his driveway and a car pulled behind him and fired a gun into his back window barely missing his 12 year old daughter. they ran up took his money and left. Different sorts of things like that happen at times. Its whatever becomes popular at the moment with the thugs that dont care about human life. All the bad I read about in the UK online papers still dont compare to what goes on around here. Its so common to wake up and hear about the nights killings and robberies on the morning news that most dont give it a second thought unless it happens to someone you know or if its that 'random' time in your own neighbourhood. I never allow my teenagers to walk around more than a few blocks from home and always in groups and with cell phones. you have to take precautions anywhere anymore. Its sad. I wish people would wake up and stop all this ridiculous nonsense about children having ' rights' to not being disciplined. And as for criminals, I think they give up their rights as soon as they break the law.

Just out of interest, if someone attacked/raped a member of your family and the law did not give you justice, would you deal with the perpetrators yourself or would you just moan about it?

There are ways and means.

Vengeance is sweet, and yes I would do time for one of mine.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_mur

Here is a website that has crime figures from country to country. I took it from another thread. The figures relate from 1998 to -2000