I worry that young people get far too demonised in society; it seems like they’re damned if they do and they’re damned if they don’t.
People complain that they spend too much time inside playing computer games and chatting online and then they get told to go inside and stop causing trouble when they try to venture out. In my opinion it is wrong to pass judgement on an entire age demographic because of the actions of a minority of them.
That’s why I’m happy to hear that some areas are changing tack and trialling new ideas to protect their communities after unsuccessfully using conventional methods to help reduce crime.
A new scheme in south-east London has tried to put off potential wrong doers by painting local babies onto their shop shutters. The shops in Green End were targeted by looters in the 2011 London riots and the shop owners hope that the adorable images will make thieves think twice.
Zaffar Awan, who owns one of the shops taking part in the experiment said: “We had another set of shutters, they were broken and almost everything was stolen from the shop.”
Awan is especially delighted by the baby boy, Max, who adorns his shutters: “It’s been here about three weeks now. Most passers-by who see him smile. I wish we could keep the shutters down and open the shop at the same time. That would be ideal.”
Evidence from as far back as the 1940s suggests that images of babies promote a caring response in human beings. I think that methods such as these are a much better idea than those which target all youths in what seems to be a sweeping underestimation of young people; for example the Mosquito Anti-Loitering Security Device that emits an unbearable buzzing sound that can only be heard by people under 25.
At least these images of babies offer something for the community; other people can enjoy looking at the babies and perhaps anyone considering doing something illegal will think twice when they see those big eyes looking back at them.