'Demonising Children'

From the ever-reliable BBC, we learn that charities are "slamming" the new ASBO replacement orders.

New plans to tackle anti-social behaviour will still demonise young people, children's charities say.

Bob Reitemeier, chief executive of the Children's Society, said government plans were a "missed opportunity" and seemed to be "a rebranding exercise".

Mr Reitemeier may well be right, but it's his first remark that bothers me. Is setting firm boundaries for social behaviour and punishing those who create misery for their fellow humans 'demonising' anyone? If young people are 'demonised' at all, I would have thought that they did a pretty good job of it themselves without any help from the state.

But no, as always it's society's fault. Stop giving them nasty labels and they will grow up straight and true. Piffle.

Some fine weasel words later in the article.

Mr Reitemeier said the plans were "a missed opportunity to adopt a more effective approach for dealing with children and young people who are deemed to be anti-social".

Don't you love that 'deemed'? He can't say they are anti-social, as that would be to express a value-judgement, and that would be wrong. By saying they are 'deemed' anti-social, he is saying that other people believe they are, but that he would not like to comment.

Ducking the real issues, as always.