Hmmmm, 'cruel' and 'harsh' punishment is definately something that shouldn't be taken into consideration... That's typical Britain, lock em up and throw away the key, while the rest of us can get back to worrying about what Victoria Beckam is going to call her next dress...
So just because we want dangerous criminals suitably punished you presume we are also obsessed with celebrities?
The reason why we live in a lock em up and throw away the key society is because we have got to a point where we are allowing these people to effectively ride rough shot over the law and decent society.
But I and many others have no interested in what some poncy talentless so called celeb does in their lives.
When the average kid of around 14-16 comes out of a young offeneders prison, or has just finished a 6 month, 5 days a week community service cleaning dog s*** off the road, do you honestly think he's going to let that go? Like hell he is! As soon as he's out he's going to find a different plot, and instead of throwing one brick, he'll throw two, or three!
Isn't it strange how most offenders end up offending again and again? Why is this? Instead of sitting in a cell, surely it would be better to help this person sort his life out? If he is a drug addict and a dealer, wouldn't it be better to send this person to a compulsary drug clinic to help him with his addiction instead of sending him to prison where he has all the time in the world to think about his wonderful drugs..? These people need guidance, support, something they most definately lack at home. Prison is such a last resort solution, but im probably a minority who believes this...
It's this sort of thinking that has led to the situation we are in now.
Also, kids who do this kind of thing are plainly bored! We need more lesiure centres, more activities during the holidays so these kids can have something to do with their time rather than throwing bricks at trains! Even for graffiti artists, surely it would be better to set up places for these guys to go paint legally instead of graffiting the streets? Even if we allow them to paint scrap trains, that would be better then painting a rolling stock train right?
By punishing these people and sending them to prison, we're only making them more angrier. By helping them, by making them understand that their not alone, and they can do something with their lives, I guarantee you this sort of thing would happen less frequently...
Boredom is not an excuse, when I am bored (less then three years ago I was a teenager myself) I don't go out and put peoples lines in danger and cause criminal damage. The real reason is respect for society or lack of it..........it usually comes from parents and over tolerant law and punishment.
Christ I know plenty of teenagers who could be described as regularly bored but none of them have ever chucked objects at passing trains, etc
These sort of people need to be hit where it hurts, and they need to be treated cruelly and harshly so an example can be set to others with the same idea.
Oh and before any one says........it isn't just teenagers who do this sort of thing, plenty of people much older do it aswell.
Knee-jerk government is largely an attempt to pander to the needs of a knee-jerk public. Maybe if we, as an electorate, gave a policy more than a fortnight to work, instead of complaining that it costs too much or didnt work how we thought it would, or just plain forget that we asked for it in the first place, we might start to see some results.
im in the 0.1% band then 
