MOBILISE GRANNY’S ARMY TO TACKLE ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

EMMA SOAMES

EDITOR-AT-LARGE, SAGA MAGAZINE

PRESS RELEASE

July 13, 2010.

MOBILISE GRANNY’S ARMY TO TACKLE ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR.

A Granny’s Army could be the spearhead of a plan to drive anti-social behaviour off the streets.

An RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts) report has suggested that individuals and communities could be trained to tackle low-level yobbery, and Emma Soames, editor-at-large of Saga magazine, says there could be some merit in it.

“There are several key opportunities here: First, in my opinion, there’s a granny factor; it’s a rare teenager or group who would resist or ignore the admonishment or guidance of a granny figure remonstrating about dropped litter or feet on bus seats – so let’s get the Neighbourhood Watch brigade actively mobilised,” said Emma Soames, 60.

“Second, I think there’s a great opportunity to bring retired Police and armed forces personnel into play – they’re used to commanding respect and diffusing difficult situations, and would make good trainers and role models.

“However, training should be very carefully monitored – ‘busybody’ authority is something that provokes anti-social behaviour.

“The key is where the line is drawn in terms of what the public should and shouldn’t get involved with; this training is only appropriate for a scale of ‘Class D’ crime and anti-social behaviour - below violence, threat, property theft or damage – covering litter-dropping, offensive language, playing music too loud and so on.

“Of course, the big issue is changing the attitude of the perpetrator. People get outraged by anti-social behaviour, but it’s the perpetrators of anti-social behaviour who should be tackled, and parenting lies at the root of it.

“Changing the behaviour of people who seem genetically tuned for acts of anti-social behaviour is a complex issue.

“This has to be all about the power of parents, who, in concert, work as one to deter, prevent and correct children who step out of line. But backing up parental authority with vigilance and low key intervention in the local community can only be a good thing.”

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.saga.co.uk

Emma Soames video interviews and other material here:

Emma Soames, editor-at-large, was editor of Saga Magazine from 2002-2008. Previously she edited the Telegraph Magazine for seven years and before that was editor of ES Magazine, Tatler and the Literary Review. Emma is also an occasional columnist for The Daily Telegraph.

PARENTS: INVITE POLICE INTO THE HOME TO LECTURE ERRANT TEENS.

EMMA SOAMES
EDITOR-AT-LARGE, SAGA MAGAZINE
PRESS RELEASE

April 19, 2010.

PARENTS: INVITE POLICE INTO THE HOME TO LECTURE ERRANT TEENS.

Nearly 90% of over-50s say parents battling to control wayward children should have the right to invite police officers into their home to have a stern word with errant youngsters.

More than 14,000 over-50s were polled by independent research organisation Populus on behalf of Saga, the lifestyle, holidays and financial services organisation, with only 7% of respondents saying they thought the idea wouldn’t work.

Emma Soames, editor-at-large of Saga Magazine, says exasperated parents faced with dealing with a youngster showing disrespect for family or property, or committing  minor but anti-social misdemeanours, should be able to call a bobby to deliver a ticking off – and the next government should also consider a “New Tricks” -style squad of retired officers to carry out home visits.

“I think that both parents and the Police would probably relish the opportunity for a stern word to be issued if they believed it would stop a life of crime dead in its tracks,” said Emma.

“It's all about nipping anti-social behaviour in the bud; the first time a child commits a ‘crime’ against the family, friends or neighbours – taking money from a mum’s purse, for instance – parents should be able to call in their local policeman to explain to their child that if they'd done it outside the home or their close circle, then they’d end up in court, fined, possibly even in a cell.

“These visits would be carefully considered with parents before being carried out. I also think there is a good case for getting retired police officers involved; the mix of age and experience, and the authority of an older person I believe would be highly effective.”

Emma believes such a move could be a key factor in nipping bad behaviour in the bud and thus making the country’s streets less intimidating for a generation that remembers respect for age and authority.

“One of the scariest things that could happen when I was a teenager was for a police officer to tell you off; a uniformed policeman turning up at your door was both embarrassing and terrifying, because a policeman was perceived as meaning a trip to the police station to help with enquiries,” said Emma.

Emma Soames says that a convincing set of policies to address “feral youth” issues could help win big election support from over-55s, who, when independently polled, said they were three times as likely to vote as under-25s.

There are 21 million over-50s in the UK.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley/
im@pressrelations.co.uk
07788 978800
www.saga.co.uk

A QUARTER OF OVER-50S WOULD CROSS THE ROAD TO AVOID TEENAGERS

EMMA SOAMES
EDITOR-AT-LARGE, SAGA MAGAZINE
PRESS RELEASE

April 15, 2010.

 A QUARTER OF OVER-50S WOULD CROSS THE ROAD TO AVOID TEENAGERS.

A quarter of over-50s would cross the road to avoid a group of teenagers while 40% say they would not dare to ask a youngster to move their feet off a bus or train seat.

That’s the finding of an independent survey of more than 14,000 people conducted by Populus on behalf of Saga, the over-50s holidays, lifestyle and financial services organisation.

People in London and the North West of England are most likely to divert to avoid a group of teenagers – 28% said they would cross the street – while youngsters in Northern Ireland are said to be the least intimidating, with only 18% of over-50s saying they would make a route change to avoid teens.

Now oldies champion Emma Soames says that a convincing set of policies to address “feral youth” issues would win big election support from over-55s, who are three times as likely to vote as under-25s.

“Street safety is a big priority for the over-50s – as highlighted in the Saga Generation Manifesto, which is the result of consultation with 14,000 older people,” said Emma Soames, editor-at-large of Saga Magazine.

“When I was a teenager, we’d cross the road to avoid adults – but for entirely different reasons: to let them pass unhindered; but times have changed dramatically in the past 40years, and, unfortunately, the attitude of a few feral teens who show no respect at all has affected perceptions of the majority. It’s reached the point that many older people will now also avoid using public transport when schools come out.

“Street safety for older people, the bad behaviour of a minority of younger people, and, crucially, correcting the incorrect perception of the majority of teenagers as troublemakers need to become key election issues.”

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley
im@pressrelations.co.uk
07788 978800
www.saga.co.uk