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The world has a problem at the moment in that the lack of clear objectives as to what happens next, and the ever increasing destruction of the planet seems to have occurred at a time when a lack of true leaders or even people we can admire, has been replaced by the facile intrusion of "celebrity".

People get more excited by a picture of Britney Spears leaving a car showing her panty less snatch and the instant worldwide publication of the ugly image, than they do over any form of scientific advance or medical breakthrough.

It appears that every politician is corrupt or more interested in personal gain than in representing and helping their constituents.

Financial institutions appear to have become little more than casino’s with poorer odds.

Sportsmen get more kudos and financial gain by cheating than they do by "playing fair", from pumped up steroid enhanced sprinters and baseball players through to Creatine dietary supplements taken by football players as young as 13, cheating seems to be just fine and accepted.

So where are the inspirational people to come from?

Here in the UK we have an ageing population who are obsessed with youth crime.

We have a whole new way of crushing the enthusiasm of youth; we have introduced a truly Orwellian device called the ASBO (Anti Social Behaviour Order)

Here is the current outline for ASBO’s in the UK

The crime and disorder reduction partnership lies at the heart of the Government’s approach to the reduction of both crime and anti-social behaviour (much of which is of course criminal in nature). All crime and disorder reduction partnerships have an antisocial behaviour co-ordinator and access to them is published on the Together website (www.together.gov.uk). All partnerships, too, are required to draw up strategies for the reduction of anti-social behaviour in their areas, and the anti-social behaviour co-ordinators are in the best position to ensure that those strategies genuinely reflect the needs of the community served by the partnerships.

Anti-social behaviour is given a wide meaning by the legislation – to paraphrase the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, it is behaviour that causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to one or more people who are not in the same household as the perpetrator.

Among the forms it can take are:

· graffiti – which can on its own make even the tidiest urban spaces look squalid, and can act as a magnet for further anti-social behaviour and crime;

· abusive and intimidating language, too often directed at minority groups;

· excessive noise, particularly late at night;

· fouling the street with litter;

· drunken behaviour in the streets, and the mess it can result in; and

· dealing drugs, with all the problems to which it gives rise.

There has been considerable criticism of the current wording being too wide. However, the House of Commons Select Committee looked at this in its report on anti-social behaviour and concluded that it would be a mistake to make it more specific because:

· the definitions work well from an enforcement point of view and no significant practical problems appear to have been encountered;

· exhaustive lists of the kind of behaviour considered anti-social by central government would be unworkable and anomalous; and

· anti-social behaviour is inherently a local problem and may be of a different nature in different localities.

This flexibility is therefore a major strength of the current statutory description of antisocial behaviour.

Anti-social behaviour is an issue that concerns everyone in the community. Incidents that cause harassment, alarm and distress cannot be written off as generational issues – they impact on the quality of life of young and old alike. And they require a response that puts partnership into action.

Just as the problems of anti-social behaviour are wide-ranging, the solutions too must operate equally effectively on many levels. While an energetic and constructive police response is essential, it must be supplemented by engagement from a wide variety of partners. To take only the most obvious, schools need to have effective policies in place against truancy and bullying, and the police need to work closely with licensing authorities in order to tackle alcohol-related problems. Local authorities and registered social landlords need to take responsibility for acting against anti-social behaviour by their tenants and against their tenants. Social services need to ensure that they are taking the welfare of the whole community fully into account when making decisions, as well as taking care of the perpetrators. And, just as important, all of these bodies need to be sharing information with each other to the fullest possible extent in order to act fairly and decisively against the problems of antisocial behaviour.

So at first glance it appears to be a good idea, it is however seriously let down by two things:

1. The police force in the UK are "results driven" the more arrests they make the better their statistics look and the general population feels happier.

2. It is so much easier to round up a bunch of kids playing noisily than to try and catch a "real" or heaven forfend "violent" criminal.

So why should I bother to tell you about ASBO’s in the UK when the theme is Inspirational People ?

Last year during June July and August my youngest son who will be 18 this September was still 16, and experienced one of the stranger quirks of the UK examination system. Children who do not wish to pursue an academic career can leave school aged 16 and start apprenticeships or just get a job!

Those who intend to study further get to have an 11 (ELEVEN) week summer holiday.

During this period, Peter (who returned to education) along with his friends, worked and had holidays and played and did all the dreadfully amazing things that spots and hormones and busty substances dictate.

They dared to be young, free, single and happy !

One sultry August evening at about 19:00 Peter and 4 of his female friends and 3 of his male friends were sitting on Hillingdon common, chatting and laughing. They had no drugs no alcohol and were not loud, naked or violent! I know this because at 18:30 I had wheeled past them in my chair. (Most of the other kid’s parents were still driving home from work)

For those who don’t know what a common is, it is something enshrined in English law, and is a right that has been fought over for many centuries.

Commons pre-date parliament, or even the monarchy, and are a legacy from the times when land was mainly 'wild' and ownerless. The manorial system appointed owners but the peasantry kept their customary rights. The Commons Act of 1285, also known as 'the statute of Westminster the second', confirmed landowners' right to 'approve' common land - that is, to fence off surplus common land beyond what was required to meet the commoners' needs and turn it to more profitable agricultural use. This was a frequent source of conflict between landowners and commoners until the practice of approvement was finally regulated under the Law of Commons Amendment Act of 1893.

In real terms it means that many heavily built up suburban areas retain small green spaces which are open to all.

So during this sultry August evening Peter and his 7 friends were approached by 8 officers wearing stab vests. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7324123.stm

Those worn by the officers on the common fitted better that worn by fatty Harmon!

They approached from four sides across the common, and as Peter said the only thing missing was a helicopter with a couple of police abseiling in from ABOVE.

Peter and his friends were formally warned and later his mother and I received a written formal warning from the police stating that Peter would get an ASBO if he was found on the common again!

Being a youth from the late sixties and early seventies my immediate response was to muster support and burn down the police station, the town hall, and the MP’s house in protest…..LOL

But nowadays that type of freedom of expression is crushed, forbidden, or even ends up with the instigator in Guantanamo bay.

So Peter persuaded us to just "chill".

Last week the Easter school holidays finished, I was pleased to see Peter and the same 7 friends in my house planning what they would do during this holiday.

They spent some time being youthful and listening to music and being silly and young.

They then went en-mass at Peters request to the Blood Transfusion Centre and gave a pint of blood each and got donor cards and will return again and again.

Unlike in the USA we do not get paid for blood donations.

Those that give blood make the donation as a kind gesture.

To help those who need it.

It will doubtless end up in the veins of the same old gits that invented ASBO’s

So my inspirational person for this theme for this month is Peter Barnes aged 17.

Let’s pray for a better future, him and his friends deserve it.

Stay Well

Andy

Reach Andy by email to comment: ab@netcomuk.co.uk

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