A PS on teen crime

Just to add to James's post on youth crime in general and the attack on my son in particular, I ought to point out that, as far as I can tell, the gang of idiots involved weren't from some sink estate. In fact, the incident took place in a well-heeled Home Counties town. But it's also a place which has a major problem with Saturday night rowdiness. (My son is sensible enough to steer clear of the worst spots.) As frustrating as the police reaction has been, I know that they're also dealing with a culture where the idea of parental control seems, for the most part, to have gone out of the window. Gatecrashing parties also seems to have become a cottage industry around here. I'm still bemused by the idea that teenagers  seem to feel they have a right to go to a party a couple of times a week.