Pink "acne lights" are being used in a bid to prevent young people gathering near underpasses in Mansfield.
Tony Gelsthorpe and pink light
The lights, put up in two underpasses in the town, are the same kind used by dermatologists to show up pimples and acne blemishes.
The project, championed by Layton Burroughs Residents' Association following consultation with Nottinghamshire Police, is set to be extended to a third site.
A spokesman for The National Youth Agency said the use of pink lights was equivalent to treating young people as the enemy.
"Lighting like this does not offer the prospect of a long-term solution to a community problem," he said. "We should be looking to help young people thrive not hurt or humiliate them."
Tony Gelsthorpe, chair of the association, said the intention of the project was never to show up spots, rather utilise the fact pink is seen as "uncool" by some young men.
Marianne Down, a member of the association, said: "We used to have quite a problem with large groups of young people hanging around in the underpasses drinking, which felt quite intimidating, but the pink lights have really made a difference.
"The groups aren't there as much and it feels safer walking through there now, particularly at night."
To play devil's advocate here, I would guess that the resident's grievance is that they find large groups of young people in a dark underpass intimidating to walk past, especially at night. If a large group of adults decided to hang around at night on the most convenient path from the station to my house, playing 60s pop music out of their old-school analogue radio, I'd probably be a bit annoyed every time I walked past too.
There's a big difference between not liking something that's perfectly legal and taking steps to discriminate against those people though.
What would people suggest as a solution?
Creating a more attractive youth hangout that isn't on the most convenient place to cross the road might be a better idea. CYPN covered a story on inter-generational youth work a couple of weeks back. That seemed to have the bonus of accepting that sometimes it's not just young people's perceptions that need work.
In response to this article, much of what has already been said by fellow contirbutors has ran through my mind. I find the fact of excluding and alienating a huge proportion of our society by demonising them quite staggering.
This is incredibly discriminatory, however, I don't believe that the residents association is any match for the creativity of UK teenagers.
I give it all of a week before any of the following ideas are up as groups on facebook-
The 'wear green to cancel out it's effects' underpass party group
The 'We'll just go back to wearing our hoodies if that's what you want' group.
The 'Pink light party in the 'pass' group. (every Friday, free entry to the Mansfield residents association)
While it's healthy for adults to get outraged on their behalf over human rights issues, my money is on young people winning their own arguments in style long before it's brought before a court. At which time, said light will disappear (if it hasn't broken/been smashed by then) in favour of something equally inept and wasteful of public resources.
The criminalisation of young people is irrational and discriminatory based on ageism. To focus on devices to deter individuals who suffer from skin conditions is also to target people due to a personal condition which contravenes our disability and discrimination policies and legislation. Surely the council can stop this harrassment of its youth and activity on a public highway and not grant permission for such devices.
I think the police are ill-advised, as most young people are decent and law abiding, and this style of persecution is not good practice in valuing and engaging our youthful society.We are so suspicious, and seem to forget that our attitudes may be questionable, and promote an age division in community values.Perhaps the residents association is dominated by a few and not a fair representation of the youthful residents and their families
I think the culture of Britiain is becoming very intolerant and blaming, not supportive in mentoring youths who may be disaffected and being community spirited in getting out there collectively to develop community resources and volunteer as project workers to make a positive contribution to change, rather than a containment and restriction of others freedoms.With rights come responsibilities, so what responsibility are the adults taking to help in a meaningful way?
Again, in the short term it's a solution (for those people intimidated by younger humans - you were there once too you know). In the long term it's just ensuring the war against young people could be won. This is of course a farse, embarrasing, wrong, cruel and without doubt the wrong way to go about this issue. This is not community work.
Joff Talbot, Youth and Community Worker / Skate instructor
Sorry - didn't say who I was! Young Advisor - 16 - London
Wow. Aren't residents associations so thoughtless. I might pay them a visit. :)
The UN committee on the Rights of the Child have already called upon the UK to rethink the use of mosquito devices to deter young people as they may be considered an infringement of young people rights under the Convention. Is the intention of Acne lights really any different? The stated intention may be that they are simply seen as uncool. However, common sense or an 'equality impact assessment' I doubt would support the position. Is it any wonder that police relations with young people are not as positive as they could be if Chief Officers are seen to support or condone action that indiscriminately targets young people and infringes their human rights.
Oh my god! What is going on in the world? Would we do this to adults who hang around town getting so drunk that they smash each others faces in!!! First sound prevention, now light prevention...should we not just keep children and young people in doors until the age of 18? Where exactly are children and young people meant to go?
Furthermore, what were these people doing when they were young? I bet they enjoyed the outdoors? I can't believe that for every step that is taken towards children and young people's civil rights, someone invents a method of controlling their behaviour and actions. Yet again a method has been developed that permits social control over young people, without any regarding to the fundamental problems within society! What an insult and disgrace!
TheUN Convention does see Freedom of Association as a Right. \(Article 15)Unfortunately it is only recognised if it doesn't 'violate the rights of others'.It only takes one to complain.
Oh, by the way, does it only pick up on young people?
What if your not bothered by acne?
Can't acne be seen in broad daylight anyway?
Better to install some full spectrum lighting down there. At least you might prevent the young'uns going down with SAD.
It's this months mosquito, and is equally appalling
Get them to 14 then castrate the buggers, then there wont be any need to worry about any of them in a generation or two.
Has it not occoured to people that they're there because they're probably not wlcome anywhere else, and that it might be SAFE for them to be there?
And 'Acne' lights? 'Spot' lights, surely
Fred Brown
Like this is really going to help those young men feel they have a stake in their community
That's an interesting comment Bruce. I believe under the AntiSocial Behaviour Act police can disperse groups gathering in specific designated places but I don't know if that underpass is one. I wonder if the underpass is designated a public space or not?
To play devil's advocate for a moment, re: the comments on accidents, I don't think the council are saying they don't want young people to use the underpass at all, rather that they don't want them gathering there. However it might have that effect - if the light deters hanging around it might also deter using the underpass at all. And yes, I'm sure they would prefer a youth centre. Perhaps the council could then reinstall the light in a beauty parlour in the youth centre to use it as it's supposed to be used!
Does not the UN declaration of Human Rights guarantee a right of assembly?
Does this activity break the law?
This is shocking!
1) surely the response from young people will be b either to put their hoods up/ put on a balaclava rather than being bullied out of an area by people exploiting their vulnerabilities.
2) it should cause outcry that this has even been allowed! Imagine putting a cattle grid under and underpass so people with walking sticks couldn't use it!
Surely if anything then the need demonstrated here is that young people want somewhere safe and dry where they can be in community together - why not put the money used to develop this lighting towards a venue for young people?
And as an aside, if young people are no longer welcome in the underpass, should someone be monitoring the effect the scheme has on traffic incidents for the roads that i imagine the underpass is avoiding?
Young Advisor 18, Luton. Young people seem to be getting treated more and more like vermin, lights, loud noises, whats next? I can sympathize with the fact that given the opportunity young people can be a nuisance, but im pretty sure that instead of being in a dark cold underpass, young people would much rather be in a purpose built youth club, or engaged in a positive activities. When are adults going to stop treating 85% of the time bored young people like criminals. As the NYA has said we need to start really considering preventative measures to tackle anti-social behavior.
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