Judge and juror?

Your choice of words astound me and your letter reeks of NIMBY (not in my back yard) about the robbery in Angmering village.

Well, unfortunately, as the squeeze hits us all, some people feel that they have no choice but to turn to crime. Your words anger me – you call him a “ridiculous, moronic, pathetic and lonely individual” – how do you know?

We, as yet, do not know the age of the perpetrator but as the young people of today struggle to find their place in a society that has turned its back on them (all three local youth centres shut in Rustington, East Preston and Ferring), then where else can risky behaviour be challenged by professional workers?

As the McGuire report on the shake-up in the criminal justice report stated in 1999, early intervention and prevention work in most cases will prevent young people becoming career criminals.

Maybe this young person has not had the experience or may not have chosen to engage in such activities on offer at any of the youth centres, but at least the opportunities to help prevent these “ridiculous crimes” were available.

I champion the work of all the staff at the youth offending service who carry out great prevention and intervention work with young people.

You express your concern for the purpose of this “ridiculous crime” as a probable means to feed an addiction – how dare you label that person and plant those ideas in people’s heads?

I would like to finish with the question – who made you judge and juror?

David Alderton

Downs Way

East Preston