By Chris Lynch Recently, it has come to my attention as a teenager in Nork that the level of gang crime has been steadily rising. Particularly in the Nork Shops area, shop owners are now feeling pressurised and bullied by youths and feel they are unsafe to keep shops open without the protection of shutters. It is a sad time that shopkeepers now feel that the community is so severely shattered that they cannot keep shops open at night. Earlier this year, the manager of a local newsagent in Banstead was brutally attacked and viciously forced to hand over all money to an intruder. He was left hurt – having been smashed against the wall of his shop several times and stared as the sadistic individual ran, leaving the man to lick his wounds. This pathetic, sickening and egotistical behaviour is a clichéd example of ‘Broken Britain’, and in truth it is uncomforting that in such a quiet, peaceful village like Banstead there is a very genuine threat spreading across businesses at night. Surely, there is something the council or authorities are able to do? Why do teenagers continue to gather in groups to pose physical or emotional threats to citizens? The answer must lie in new, exciting opportunities for teenagers to discourage them from violence and somewhat callous and bullying behaviour. Like a moth to a flame, many young people seem to be driven to street and gang crime in a narcissistic attempt to gain credibility or popularity amongst others, and therefore this problem should be tackled head on: for decades, the principle of rebellion among youth has been firmly linked with popularity and coolness and hence if young people are driven to realise that in adult life – for legal and ethical reasons – this behaviour is unacceptable, they are far less likely to do it. This is because they will feel not only like they are jeopardising their future career aspirations or success, but they will soon come to realise that with crime and irresponsibility comes harsh repercussions in a world ultimately governed by law and order.