With all the apparent concern across the community with the subject of the increasing violence occurring on our streets, especially after dark and involving mainly our younger people, I would like to throw a cat amongst the pigeons and suggest that for every case of violent attack involving the use of the sinking of the boot, a mandatory 7 (Seven) year prison sentence ( without any parole ) should be meted out to the aggressor.

This severity of penalty would, I believe, go far in making people think twice before laying the boot into someone else, and for all those bleeding-heart do gooders out there who will start moaning about this suggestion, I would caution them that the result of this type of violent attack can, and invariably does result in death or disablement of the victim, causing much grief to families affected and great costs to an already overburdened madical system.

Our social laws are making it illegal for parents to utilize corporal punishment on "hard to control" children, some of whom quite rightly deserve a "touch-up" to keep them in line with the laws and rules of our society, however because the do-gooders seem to have gained control of the judiciary it is now forbidden to apply a well-deserved slap when an arrogant teenager exercises the early signs of these violent traits and a concerned parent can only try to talk commonsense into a youngster who is teeming with out of control hormones!

When a youngster then commits an offence against his fellow man, invariably the parents are held to blame for NOT exercising enough control, and admittedly in some cases there are parents in our community who should never have had children, but for the concerned and caring ones, the laws have made it impossible for them to maintain any realistic control of their wayward children.

Spare the rod and spoil the child - One kick can cause death!

i think we should avoid talking about media beatups

think if your ruled by fear ...you sit home alone
govts like that...they hate us getting together and simply talking

this begun under howard...who allowed the..public liability
isurance industry..to shut down many public getogethers...by trippling the cost of public liability...

sending many social events into extinction

better we sit at home watching the free to air gore and blood and guts flow on the ever bigger small screen...as the media further re programs our minds into mindless drunken drones watching the light flicker

I think tht this suggestion has some good merits.
Unfortunately corporal punishment is not one of them.
"You will not be violent. Take that belt belt."
The seven years without parole is a good idea, Hob nail boots are a deadly weapon.
Further to this point, any person suspected of a crime should be drug tested and if found positive. Then three months inside and not allowed out until tests prove negative.

It's a media beatup- statistics show that overall child crime-rates are WAY DOWN, mostly for minor offences, and rarely ever repeat offendors.
They're also easier to rehabilitate.

But an interesting statistical fact. If there was one case of a group of teens beating someone up last year, but THREE cases of a group of teens beating someone up THIS year, then this is a MASSIVE increase of 300%- TRIPPLE last time!

King Hazza's correct. We're living in a low-crime, media-saturated era.

Young men have always been violent. There have always been bashings, gangs and street crime. The difference now is in coverage.

I would, however, like to see a comparison of victim profiles and severity of injuries. I get the impression that fights used to occur between willing participants and resulted in bruises, lost teeth, and the occasional fracture. The recent pattern seems to feature groups of blokes setting on a single victim at random and beating them to a pulp.

With the tabloid media involved, truth is a commodity.

I would strongly suggest that you people should watch the news tonight and take note of the grief and despair shown by the Irish mother of the backpacker who just died in hospital after being "bashed" in Sydney, and also take note of the story of Victorian Policeman who was set-upon by four men at Lilydale after he had pulled up an unregistered vehicle, and whilst trying to run a Breath Test after finding the driver was unlicenced and a suspected DUA, was set upon and left bleeding on the ground when the four "heroes" finished with him and drove off!

It may be simple to quote these "statistics" but how often are statistics adjusted to achieve a desired result?

You have to be living in Wally World if you honestly believe that the incidence of violent crime is diminishing, or are you all in denial?

Ok Crackcup, I'll bite.

What are the current sentencing guidelines for someone convicted of involvement in...

"the backpacker who just died in hospital after being "bashed" in Sydney",

and...

"Victorian Policeman who was set-upon by four men at Lilydale... and left bleeding on the ground when the four "heroes" finished with him and drove off!"

So, how does your proposal compare with the current position? Or are you simply dog-whistling?

Just to clarify, Crackcup, your argument is, "based on two anecdotal incidents that could have occurred at any time since federation, and no other evidence, I declare that the statistics are false and violent crime is increasing". Is that correct?

The Irish backpacker only copped one punch didn't he? Pretty unlucky for all concerned. One guy is a murderer for lashing out (yes I still reckon boys will be boys), and a guy is dead for getting into an argument with the wrong person.

My impression is the 'rules' have changed, but the violence is actually less although reported more. When I first started high school, it was taboo to bring a knife to a fight (they were often organised after school) as it showed you needed a weapon and that you were a wuss. Ditto for bringing a gang. Also once a guy was down, if he stayed down the fight was over, no kicking, losing was humiliation enough.

By the time I finished school, I don't think those rules applied any more. These days if you attempt to pull a loud mouth 15yo into line you might get stabbed, possibly even by his mate waiting behind you. The code has been broken and discarded.

Women are becoming more violent for sure. I read the other day about a woman glassing a bloke, and some young girls bashing a taxi driver. I'm not sure you'd have seen that 20 years ago.

Crackup, while I also think that Australia is a more violent place on the streets nowadays, I don't believe we should go down the path of having a blanket sentence for 'putting the boot in'.

Surely every case should be dealt with by the courts on it's own merit?

There are many previously non-violent young people out there who, fueled by too much alcohol or drugs, may hit someone once in a drunken rage.
These people should not be treated the same as other people who have been violent before and are re offenders.

I realize that victims are hurt just as much by either category of criminals, but surely it should all be left up to the court system to decide?

Crackup,
I seem to remember a line from 'the sentimental bloke' written in the early 1900's where the protagonist yells 'put in the boot'.

My late adopted dad talked about cutthroats (razors) pailings,iron bars etc. He also had 'Blamey's Bashers'(Victoria) sanctioned police who drove around after 9.30pm looking for groups of young men then 'give them a hiding to go on with'.

In my time it was bike chains, cycle boots with safety razor blades between the toe and the soul, Belts with studs to wrap around knuckles. Big buckles to swing around.

Yep, violence is a new phenomenon. Increasing ? per head per capita it's about the same.

Old saying "be thankful for the news, if it's on the news is sensational (unusual enough)to be worth mentioning. Who cares if my a dog bites me in public (not many) but if it bites some one important... front page. Think about it.

As for the 7 years no parole...deterrents don't work. My experience is that most who do this do it as either a thrill or in the spur of the moment either way they aren't going to think about the consequences.

Do I have an answer? I wish.