This sounds hauntingly familiar? How many people in the UK are incarcerated or otherwise in the system (i.e. under some kind of supervised release)? Are the numbers going up?
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-britain-riots-20110816,0,4116258.story
[...]
Cameron identified a culture of selfish indifference and greed behind last week's rampages throughout London and other major cities, which killed five people and caused more than $300 million in damage over four days that rocked the nation. He said he would direct his entire Cabinet to look for ways to combat a "broken society" in which fathers had abdicated responsibility for their children, schools had given up on discipline and crimes had gone unpunished.
[...]
btw, is Bratton really going to London?:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/14/bill-bratton-police-track-record
and speaking of abdicating fathers:
Picture this. The year is 1964. It`s a lovely June day. We`re on the campus of the exclusive Judson prep school outside Scottsdale, Ariz. The commencement speaker is Ronald Reagan. There he is with that grin of his, standing with several of the seniors who have been invited to pose for pictures with him. They stand proudly in their caps and gowns.
Ronald Reagan, always good with crowds, chats a little with each graduate.
``My name is Ronald Reagan. What`s yours?`` he says to one young boy.
``I`m your son Mike,`` the boy says.
``Oh,`` says Ronald Reagan. ``I didn`t recognize you.``
[...]