the Online NewsHour
E-mail This Page   Print This Page  
the Online NewsHour EXTRANews for Students AND Teacher Resources MAIN: ONLINE NEWSHOUR
7 - 12 grade level
SEARCH
ALL OR STUDENT VOICES LESSON PLANS VIDEO GO
Main: NewsHour ExtraU.S.WorldScienceEconomicsHealthArts and MediaStudent VoicesTeacher Center

Watch the full episode. See more PBS NewsHour.

Posted on August 12, 2011

As riots subside, U.K. youth are prime suspects

After several days of rioting and looting in and around London, police finally established a forceful presence throughout the city. In a special meeting of Britain's Parliament, Prime Minister David Cameron again denounced the culture that produced criminals as young as 12 years old.

In a special report from Jane Deith of Independent Television News, U.K.'s youth have become the prime suspects in the aftermath of several days of looting and rioting. Manchester magistrates court held a special overnight sitting to get through the army of children and adults charged over the rioting and looting in Manchester and Salford. Three judges sat in three courts from 9:00 p.m. last night right through the night, dealing swiftly and robustly with more than 100 defendants.

Prime Minister David Cameron has promised tough justice and the chief crown prosecutor for Manchester says his team is going to hit the rioters and looters hard. Police are plowing through hundreds more photographs and CCTV images of looters, but say they will catch up with them all.

"These people were all volunteers. They didn't have to do what they did. And they must suffer the consequences. But crime has a context, and we must not shy away from it. I have said before that there is a major problem in our society with children growing up not knowing the difference between right and wrong. This is not about poverty. It is about culture, a culture that glorifies violence, shows disrespect to authority, and that says everything about rights, but nothing about responsibilities." David Cameron, British Prime Minister

"Justice when it's swift is most effective. It's about ensuring that they see the shock and awe of the criminal justice system, because we represent society. We want to ensure that society is reflected in our courtrooms. And we want them to experience what they made us experience." Nazir Afzal, Crown Prosecution Service

1. Where is the United Kingdom?
2. What is a riot?
3. What is the difference between a monarchy and a democracy?

1. What do you think ignited the recent riots in London?
2. What do you think should be the consequences for individuals involved in the rioting?
3. Should a person’s age be considered when they are charged with a crime? Why or why not?

Comments

Post a Comment:

This is a teacher community that thrives on your thoughts, suggestions and comments. We would love to have a free ranging discussion in this space about the resources and how we can all encourage young people to think about current events and the world around them.

So, dive in. Tell other teachers what you like about this video, what you wish was different and what you hope to accomplish.

Especially helpful? Come back after using the video and let us know how it worked!

To ensure a productive and civil discourse, we pre-moderate comments, so it might take a little time for your comment to appear.

Thanks for waiting.

Name: (required, pseudonym ok)
E-mail address: (required, will not be published)
Comment:
 

 
Welcome
Video Packages
Compiled from over 30 years of NewsHour archives, video packages provide historical context to topical issues.
Black Monday

NewsHour Coverage of Financial Turmoil

A selection of NewsHour coverage of past turmoil in financial markets.

Oil

Oil Prices: a Brief History

Four decades of NewsHour coverage on the price of oil.

NewsHour Coverage of Immigration Issues

As an increasing number of people enter the U.S. illegally, the United States has struggled to address the immigration issue.

Bridge

Examining the State of U.S. Infrastructure

Ray Suarez examines the state of bridges, ports, airports and roads across the U.S. in Blueprint America, a collaboration with WNET New York.

More resources: Blueprint America

Hurricane photo

A Look Back: Hurricane Katrina

NewsHour reports from the days immediately following the hurricane, detailing the storm\'s damage, broken levees, evacuations and the relief efforts.

Mao watch

NewsHour Coverage of Modern China

This video package focuses on modern Chinese history and how some of the biggest developments from the country have influenced the world.

Mars lander

NASA Celebrates Fifty Years

NASA was established on July 29, 1958. Watch recent NewsHour interviews with NASA scientists and reports on NASA research.

Radovan Karadzic

NewsHour Coverage of Radovan Karadzic

A collection of NewsHour coverage of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, who was captured in July 2008 on war crimes charges.

Benazir Bhutto

NewsHour Interviews with Pakistani Leader Benazir Bhutto

A series of interviews with assassinated Pakistani politician Benazir Bhutto, the first woman elected to lead a Muslim country.

 
FRIDAY
A Timely Drop in Gas Prices for Memorial Day Trips
News Wrap: SpaceX 'Dragon' Reaches Space Station
Partial Vote Count in Egypt Reveals Public Rift
What a Muslim Brotherhood Win Might Mean for U.S.
The Legacy of Etan Patz
Are U.S. Nuclear Plants Ready for a Meltdown?
Brooks, Marcus on Coming Economic 'Chaos,' Bain
When the Ancient Past Reaches Out and Touches Us
An hour-long daily news broadcast.