Is Croydon Becoming More Dangerous? Royal Russell School, Emma Hourihan

 

 

After the most recent stabbing at East Croydon station this past week, fear has been spiked as the realisation of just how dangerous our beloved local area can be. Statistics show that the most dangerous place in Croydon is Fairfield, with an astonishing 519 crimes being committed in July 2018 alone. 148 of these crimes were violent or sexual offences whilst anti-social behaviour raised 137 offences which is a dramatic increase to previous times. During that month 58 theft offences were recorded as well as 57 drug offences in that area. 

 

 

Drugs are becoming a bigger and bigger issue, I believe this is due to easier access and more young people being around older more criminally advanced young adults. In recent years drugs have become more easily attainable with the use of social media as advertising, these online advertisements have become so common that is has completely de-sensitised the youth of today. Drugs and alcohol have become a usual activity for teenagers at parties to take part in, so an increase in peer pressured activities is on the rise.

 

It is horrifying to think of what some people are capable of, it is really quite terrifying. I believe that one key reason why crime rates have increased, especially in young people, is due to imitable activity from video games and movies which influence the naïve minds of young adult’s whist also normalising criminal activity and violence. I believe that too much time spent online, on social media and watching or playing violent simulations can occasionally lead to imitations of that activity, as violence and crime is widely glamourized in many films.