How and why are teens allowed to roam the roads freely for hours?

[LadyGillingham]

Where is parental responsibility? My parents had to know where I was, who I was with and it was always timeboxed. Good behaviour was expected at all times. I’ve seen young teens on bikes, at all hours, hanging around the high street - shouting, littering, damaging property etc.

Parents must be held accountable and charged for neglect alongside violent crimes by children. That old man (Bhim Kohli) didn’t deserve to be murdered. Why aren’t parents being held accountable? Feral kids are a result of neglect.

I’m confused as to why you’ve assumed that the parents of teenagers who you see in the street don’t know where they are or who they’re with?

My parents thought they knew where I was back in the 80s. I was always where I ought to be at the right time for being picked up, or in for tea. They had no clue where I really was, though, and short of locking me in the house, or following me, there was no real way for them to find out.

I think you do have a point in the sense that more of the kids out and about late these days are more likely to come from homes where the parents DGAF at all where their kids are. The kids without so much as a time to be home by. It's very different to the days when we were all out hanging about, when fewer of us had our lives filled every second by anxious parents desperate for us to be constantly occupied. When being in our rooms was boring because we didn't have gadgets to play games with our mates on.

So what you have now aren't the nice kids from decent homes out for a laugh with their mates, a swig of white lightning and one fag between 6 of you. It's the kids who nobody worries about if they aren't at home. It's the kids who aren't at home because of whatever is happening there. It's the kids whose parents don't care where they are. And that's the sort of child who ends up in a gang beating the crap out of an OAP, etc. It always was those kids who nicked the cars etc and it was nothing to do with kids being out per se. It was to do with why they were out, IYSWIM

It helps that I know the vast majority of his friends’ parents .
Son is very open and would grass up mates (which would then prompt action )
We watch the news and discuss anti social issues / behaviour .
He watched Adolescence recently and that promoted quite a serious discussion (he was appalled by it !)

10pm in summer where I am is broad daylight and very normal for kids and teens, during the holidays, to still be out enjoying the evening sun. They're hanging out, or fishing, or swimming in the lake, or playing football, or at the skatepark, or chilling by a campfire if there's no forest fire warning in effect.

That’s the risk/chances they take!

Yes they do. You surely know the risks when you choose to have children?

@LadyGillingham @SorryfortheTMII assume neither of you have kids then? You know, just in case they might turn up to be a 17 yo schizophrenic that kills you with a hammer ? Or worse, a member of the public?

If parents were held responsible and had to pay for damage done by some of these hangers-around or for any crimes committed, they might want to know what their offspring were doing and who they were with.....on the other hand not many of those parents give a toss anyway - Heaven help us all !

I’m so with you. I don’t get it either. I feel incredibly sad and angry at the same time seeing them. We have large groups of teenagers roaming around abusing people every week in the middle of the day. Where are their parents??! I dread to think what they’ll be like when they’re older and then their offspring coming along in a couple of years’ time to do the same. It’s so awful.

I was born in 1980 and I was certainly not in the pubs at 15 nor let out all day to wander and cause trouble!

I wasn't "let out to cause trouble" either. I was let out to have fun, make friends, play games, get fresh air, etc.

Yes, I have kids. But I am well aware of the risks.

I didn't say don't have kids in case they try to kill you with a hammer. I am saying, be aware that that could happen and do what you can to prepare for it/avoid it. Be attentive.

No, they wouldn't care.

They simply wouldn't pay the fines. People who have given up on life to the extent that they don't even have the energy to pay any attention to what their kids are up to, do not care about fines. They've probably got them coming out of their ears anyway. Another CCJ is nothing.

Maybe a prison sentence would be a deterrent but what good's that going to do anyone, really?

Depends on age as well, until my children were 18 I knew where they were. I took them to activities and dropped and picked up when necessary, also their friends whose parents couldn’t be bothered. Funny how kids react to that, they are all nearly 30 now and all come to visit me.

You are very lucky. Kids from inner cities don’t have all that.

They ignored the parcels being delivered and stopped engaging with the Police. It seemed that when his issues were in school, they co-operated with the school and the process, but then just let him go to ground at home. They knew he was ordering off the Internet, while watching extremist material. When the police raided, the Al Qaeda training manual
wasn't hidden, knives weren't and the parents should have questioned their child on what the liquid was. It's interesting how this case is being viewed as opposed to the 13 year oldest, who stupidly joined in the riots. His single Mother has been castigated on here and over the News.

You are VERY lucky if you have only just experienced this as it's been a problem since I can remember. Where I used to live, teenagers hung around outside our house and those of my neighbours every night,drinking,taking drugs,letting off fireworks,throwing stuff around and damaging property. One month alone I made seven calls to the police who would always say they'd " send someone" but never did. My life was made such hell I sold up,then the day contracts were exchanged,two officers were patrolling the road for the first time ever. I asked why the attention and was told they were going to sort out the problem haha! Too little too late mate as I pointed to my " sold" sign. That was thirty years ago.The simple reason it is allowed is that the parents don't give a damn so long as their kids are not annoying them. Also they struggle to believe their little " angel" would do such a thing.

Totally agree with the above......its about time parents took control AND responsibility for their own kids

Why should the rest of us have to put up their bad behaviour when we have brought our own kids up well and without a lot of money either !