OPINION: Attracted by the glamour of yob culture

A measured approach is required, one involving dialogue, consultation and explanation. There are, however, some groups of young people with whom this will not work. Their raison d'etre on the street is to wind up people, to threaten and to intimidate. Gentle approaches and gentle words will not resonate with them and a firmer hand is required. What is essential is that the approach is tailored to a careful reading of the group concerned, for they are often blurred together in the public mind.

In preparation for my talk, I had a chat with a young man called Paul. His mother was a social worker and, on his own, he was always civil and polite to me. But when I saw him on the street with his mates, he was always chain-smoking, never speaking without constant expletives, and regularly spitting on the floor. I asked him why this was. He thought it was obvious. That was just the way you had to be. That was the required public face. He said that his more private persona would be mocked by his mates if it ever surfaced in public.