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Drunk, violent, promiscuous... a U.S. view of British youth as seen on the cover of Time Magazine
Last updated at 23:37pm on 29.03.08British youth are violent, drunken and out of control, a leading American magazine concludes today.
The front cover of renowned publication Time Magazine depicts a young man in a "hoodie" with mugshots of others across a Union Jack.
Its headline reads: "Unhappy, Unloved and Out of Control - An epidemic of violence, crime and drunkenness has made Britain scared of its young."
It also pours scorn upon the parenting abilities of the British, claiming they do not spend enough time with their children and cannot cope.
The magazine criticises our class-riven society, education system and binge-drinking culture.
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The front cover of Time magazine shows a glowering hoody superimposed on a Union Jack for its feature on Britain's youth
The weekly magazine, which goes on sale across the world today, cites a survey by the children's charity TS Rebel which found last year that more than a fifth of Britons avoided going out at night rather than risk encountering groups of intimidating youths.
A 3,200 word article states: "It's easy to see why.
"The boys and girls who casually pick fights, have sex and keep the emergency services fully occupied are often fuelled by cheap booze."
It says that British youngsters drink far more than their European counterparts, are more frequently involved in violence and are more likely to try drugs, adding that English girls are the most sexually active in Europe.
"Small wonder then, that a 2007 Unicef study of child well-being in 21 industrialised countries placed Britain firmly at the bottom of the table," the article states.
The magazine, which has a circulation of four million, has put the story on its international front cover. It will also feature the article in its US editions, providing further embarrassment to the Government.
Time also says that Labour's ambitious target of halving child poverty by 2010, set by Tony Blair, is unlikely to be achieved.
It states: "The British have a long propensity to recoil in horror from their children - whether they be Teddy boys in the 1950s, mods and rockers in the Sixties, skinheads in the Seventies or just a bunch of boisterous teens making a lot of noise but little real mischief.
"But it is also true that for what Bob Reitemeier, chief executive of the Children's Society, call a 'significant minority' of British children, unhappiness - and the criminality, excessive drinking and drug-taking and promiscuity that is its expression - really have created a crisis.
"All over the world, teenagers give their parents headaches.
"Why are the migraines induced by British kids felt across a whole society?
"Part of the reason may be that parents aren't always around to help socialise their children - or even just to show them affection.
"Compared to other cultures, British kids are less integrated into the adult world and spend more time with their peers.
"Add to the mix a class structure and an education system that rewards the advantaged, and some children are bound to be left in the cold."
The article expresses particular concern at Britain's binge-drinking culture.
"Alcohol Concern noted that one in three British men and one in five women drink double the amount considered safe at least once a week," it says, citing pictures of Princes William and Harry leaving nightclubs.
Reader views (22)
while Britain may be getting more violent it can be seen as the continuation of the lower class silent revolotion. From the sixties your generation reformed the world for the succesive offspring. their was the point then to resisting the higher classes then as emerged the punk gen. when thature caused a new oppresion for not only the young but the lower classes. This is how my generation was taught, resist oppresion slow and silent and it will fall as has been exampled. when we have been taught that life is against you by the suffering of you its natural we attack resiting in one obvious way, all of them. the problem like the sixties is the availability of wepons like drugs in the sixties, the harsh reality that we expect easiness yet schools are harsh to us, the goverment makes us suffer, and we are expected deal with it. you taught us to resist yet you expect us to accept the affects of britsh life. we are creations of our society.
sorry about the bad grammer and spelling and as steve said rant over
- A Dilley, Greater London
Political correctness, the liberal media, hand tied police, no respect for the elderly, no pride in the armed services, a hatred of our country, and a willingness to embrace Islam because we want to appear progressive. Wave the Union Jack and your a racist, disapline a kid your outdated, defend your family or property and your going to jail while the assailant sues and gets a hand out. Too many hippies, socialists and do gooders in a public position have destroyed this once great nation.
- Steve, Birmingham, England
Our children's future was taken from them by governments cavalierly running deficits for decades and also by government central banks keeping interest rates far too low for decades. Who can afford a home now, not just in the UK but in Canada and America?
I think at age 60, I understand the plight of the youth. They have every reason to be angry.
- Starving Steve, Sooke, BC Canada
Yes UK is a violent country more so than ever before, or at least that is the perception. UK towns and cities are run by the 18-30s especially at the weekends. I just avoid my local town centre at weekends as there is always some drunken lout - with his friends of course... that want to abuse you at least, if not rob you.
I have been living in the Philippines for 6 months, Manila is supposed to be a dangerous place but I would much rather walk around here at night than London, I definitely feel safer here, there is respect for older people/authority here that you never experience now in the UK.
I would like to see some of these louts deal with the police in Asia, they would never act towards them like they do in the UK, in the UK I have seen the police abused, sworn at and physically assaulted before they act because their hands are tied with so much political correctness. Here in Asia you say "sorry sir" or you will physically regret your abusive comments... some say that is wrong... maybe, but it works here and it works for me as I as most people here know how to behave.
Rant over !!
- Gerry, L, London/Manila
Spot on. It's a hell hole and there's no consideration or help or attention given to this age group, and thus they have gone wild as a result of a decade of neglect. There's no housing, no live quality and little else to do but get drunk and pregnant.
- Ian, Manchester, UK
Pretty accurate, try and read this Mr Brown and learn something!
- Brian, Wiltshire, UK
America, a drug infested, gun slinging violent culture is the last nation on earth to be looking down its nose at others. Even if the comments are justified.
- Mel Barrows, Tenerife. Canary Islands
Some of the comments here express irritation that the article about this issue comes from the US. That annoys me too- since I live in the US I prefer to argue from the standpoint that everything is better in Britain!
Unfortunately this does not seem to be the case this time. The last time I was living in London (late 90's) I was always aware of the potential to get mugged or worse and I would definitely never walk home alone after dark. In San Diego where I live now I feel much safer on a daily basis. I jog and mountain bike around everyday and have never felt unsafe. There are of course 'bad' areas- which sensibly people stay away from. In contrast, from the news stories coming out of Britain recently, it seems that trouble will come and find you- wherever you are.
- Ak, San Diego, USA
I have been waiting for an article about this issue to emerge for a while now. Yet how sad that the needed attention to this issue is coming from an international source.
As a Brit' living in the US, I read the British news online daily and I have become increasingly concerned over the past five years to continually see news stories about acts of violence on the streets, perpetrated by youths.
I have been wondering if the media has been distorting the extent of this crime wave and I still wonder now to what extent this phenomenon is impacting daily life in Britain? I have always intended to return to live in Britain, but frankly the image of crime back home is enough to make me stay here.
I hope I'm wrong, Britain is an amazing country and I have always been proud to be British, but if it isn't safe to walk the streets then sadly its not the best place for my family.
- Ak, San Diego, USA
The present crime wave and antisocial behaviour epidemic has being going on and worsening all my life- there was feral youth in the seventies when I was a school kid.
Teachers, academics who teach the teachers, churches, the media and 'social working ' establishments have much to answer for. Polly Toynbee, typical rich Whig luvvie, recently said that morals should be left to children to work out for themselves. What planet are these people on?
Gordon Brown says he wants a less deferential society. Politicians pundits and academics all say the same and have been saying so -and even worse doing so- since World War II. You could not actually get a less deferential society than the one we've got now, and the results speak for themselves. Look around you!
- Steve Sharples, Cambridge, UK
The Nu Labor culture has become a joke abroad as well. Time for a change. Mr. Bean Brown has to go!!
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
These comments are incredible! Apparently it is the governments fault that parents are no longer bringing up their children properly. What ever happened to people taking responsibility for their own actions? If children are violent and promiscuous then the people at fault are their parents and the children themselves for lacking any self control.
- Turbut, London, UK
What it means is that our stupid MPs are to gutless to do anything about it. Their mentality is if it's not in our neighbour hood why worry? Teachers are scared stiff of the kids. The kids know more about their rights than they know their ABC's. Bring back the cane in school. Also parents your kids need a parent not a friend your too old to be their friends.
- J.Lamb, Lakewood, CO
At tad hypocritical from the US? -- a nation in which gun crime is at epidemic levels, and which brought us the delights of crack cocaine and crystal meth.
- Mark, London
What this is basically saying is that British kids are feral. This problem is another symptom of the labour obsession and kid friendly policies which has enabled kids to be the most spoilt and pampered little darlings ever. The blame can also be laid at the door of lazy parents and the media who have promoted this idea of taking on the worst of trailer trash America and the celebrity culture with the likes of the vacuous Beckhams, Paris Hilton (a find US example of the what they are saying about Britain) gangster rap (or should that be gangsta)and many others as its figureheads.
Isn't it funny that a couple of decades ago people spoke of America and especially New York in such terms.
- Dr Finlays Casebook, London, UK
Thanks to Labour it seems British parents are afraid to tackle their children and discipline them....The kids seem to have the law on their side so what chance do "some" of the parents have...Oh and being a lone parent is no excuse for bad parenting as I'm a lone parent and have no problems with laying down ground rules for my boys....makes me sick to hear this excuse being used over and over again
- Sarah, London
The magazine has hit the nail on the head. Since Labour has come into power, there is no incentive for you to work as you are taxed to the hilt. Children constantly hang around street corners, drinking, smoking and intimidating. Police do not turn up until after the person has been kicked to death and then a slap on the hand for the murderer. The whole 999 number being changed has made it more difficult to report anything. The sooner more discipline is brought to schools, make youngsters who commit crimes clean the streets or some stricter punishments the better. My vote will NOT go to Labour as all they have done is brought this country to the gutter.
- Jk, London
That's rich coming from the country that taught our kids how to behave appallingly through it's own cinema and gang culture.
- Jimbob, Kensington
Something has to be done, starting with the police being given real power to move them on, take them home etc without having hours of form filling.
It is a real problem, and likely to get worse.
- Roger, Guildford
I don't suppose Time magazine talks about the malign influence of violent U.S. rap music, the endless cycle of high-school gun massacres by disturbed teenagers or the vast 'no-go' areas of places such as Watts and the South Bronx, does it?
- Hereward The Awake, North London
Looks like Time have got it spot on.
- Adam, Harrow, UK
A good summary of life in the UK today. However it is ironic it comes from the US who also ranked below us on the Unicef league table. Stones and greenhouses. We equally have nothing to be proud of!
- Stuart, London, UK
