User: Tempus

The majority of teenagers are honest, hard working and law abiding. They do not carry knives. Only a tiny minority, many of whom already have youth court convictions, possess these weapons. The excuse that they have them for self-defence is pathetic and cannot be justified. The only reason the teenage criminal fraternity carry knives is to use them either to intimidate or inflict serious injury on their victims. Police cautions, fines and short custodial sentences have failed to prevent knife crime. Corporal punishment is the only way to protect the public and make our streets safe again.

I agee with Ono, the cane is a most effective way of dealing with teenage boys who misbehave or challege authority. I recieved "twelve of the best" on my bare bottom when I was seventeen for underage drinking. It hurt like hell and left me in tears for several hours. However, being caned was a deterrent. It prevented me drinking and experimenting with drugs while at university. Even today, forty years later, the memory of an extremely painful posterior stops me drinking excessively when I go out with friends.

What a most effecive way of dealing with the school bully. I went to a school in England where both male and female students were caned or slippered if they misbehaved or to prevent them being prosecuted for criminal offences. All the major disciplinary problems were caused by final year students. Every year at the beginning of the autumn term, a small group would attempt to organise a protection racket. Some boys carried knives which they used to bully and intimidate younger students. One teacher was attacked with a broken bottle. Girls had jam and marmalade rubbed into their hair. Despite pressure from the staff the head refused to prosecute and whacked the offenders hard. They were always caned on the bare bottom. The standard punishment was "six of the best" although boys who attacked girls got twelve. Using corporal punishment efficiently and effectively, the head kept the school's delinquents out of the justice system. The cane was a deterent and final year students who recieved it did not cause trouble again. On leaving school many went to college and graduated with degrees or professional qualifications.