Back Page: In the news - An alternative take on last week's media

It was "a tough new bid to crack down on Yob Britain", said The DailyMirror, or the latest move in a "yob war" in the Daily Mail. Residents'association chair Ann Mitchell was all in favour, despite telling theMail: "It's only a minority of kids who cause the problem." Few botheredto ask young people what they thought. However, the move prompted fiercedebate on the local news website thisiscornwall.

Some, like "Annoyed" from Redruth, were against the idea: "When willpeople start to realise that not all teenagers are the same? No wonderthey are growing up with an attitude problem when everyone believesanyone under the age of 20 to be a hoodie-wearing drug-taking yob."However, many applauded the scheme or called for further steps, like thecontributor who suggested all children should be "vetted from the age ofabout 10 and if they are showing signs of being troublesome, removedfrom society until they are mature and well-behaved enough to bereleased back among us decent folk". Very decent of them.