We have a responsibility to look out for all children - not just our own

A fascinating article about the death of society from becoming massively risk averse and scared of helping others. This is not just guardianista hype either, but fairly obvious everywhere, and not just with children.

Look at the fear of confronting a burglar, not because of the burglar themselves but because of the knowledge that if you do it will be you not the thieving scum that the police prosecute.

Look at louts and chavs, perhaps in the past people would have felt able to step in early rather than letting them get away with it to the point where they think they are untouchable, because they are.

The need to engage people with maintaining the society that they want to live in is not a new idea, it is one of Sir Robert Peel's nine points of Policing

Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence.

The problem is old and well know. As is the solution, praise, rather than prosecute, the people that aid the interests of community welfare and existence by standing up to the thieving scum. But it is not likely to have anything done about it while the police continue to target their efforts on the low hanging fruit provided by the law abiding, especially when they show up the police by doing what the police should be doing.