Singapore also operates a zero tolerance harsh criminal justice system including corporal and capital punishments, I'm sure yobs would think twice about low level petty crime if the punishment was a dozen strikes with a cane instead of a stern talking to for even the first offence.
Perhaps but I tend to believe that it's the partnership attitude and vested interest in living in a low crime society that makes the difference rather than their harsh penalties. I think it would take a sea change of epic proportions in the UK for us to get to that stage.
On the way home from work yesterday, i was driving down a very busy road and saw a boy of about 8 sat on the kerb with his feet just in the road.
There are no houses on this stretch and he was sat with his head in his hands.
I pulled over and went to check he was ok but in the back of my head, i was wondering if i should approach him.
Anyway, i asked him if he was ok, and he looked up at me, and his little face, he'd obviously been sobbing. He'd had a row with his Mum who had told him to get out of the house so he did. I asked where he lived but not to tell me the number as i was a stranger. It turned out he lived a good 10 minutes away.
I persuaded him to go home as i told him i'd be very sad if my little boy who's 6 was sat at the side of the road and i'm sure his Mummy would be worried. Thankfully he got up and started walking in the direction of his house. I left it a few minutes and drove further down the road to make sure he went home.
All this time though, i felt in the wrong talking to this lad as i always drum it into my Son not to talk to strangers. I was also surprised no-one else had thought to check on him or at least phone the local police station (which i did after i saw him go down his street) just in case he didn't go home.
Fair play to you for that. I was just thinking, since I have a daughter of 8, what kind of parent would order a child of that age from the house. The only place my daughter is ever alone is in the bathroom or her bedroom. We've only just let her outside to play on her own (as long as one of us is at the window watching).
..and there I was thinking that this 'study' would have been done via the proper procedures and by people who know what they're talking about, been published and critiqued by their peers...then I looked and saw it was in the Daily Star.
Enough credibility as a compulsive liar I'm afraid.
Perhaps but I tend to believe that it's the partnership attitude and vested interest in living in a low crime society that makes the difference rather than their harsh penalties. I think it would take a sea change of epic proportions in the UK for us to get to that stage.
Having been to Singapore, from a personal point of view, I found the penalties are far more effective in determining my own behaviour.
Okay, some weird responses on here, but it's an interesting question.
I believe in some countries - I thought it was Germany, actually, but not sure - it's illegal not to help someone in need if possible. In this country, if you help someone and inadvertently cause damage, you can be prosecuted. Wasn't there a case about a man who removed a motorcyclist's helmet and paralyzed him or something? So from that point of view, it would be against your best interests to risk helping someone.
When it comes to damage of property, I think that people are more likely to pass on by thinking that it's better to allow it to happen than to risk getting attacked by the people doing it. I have no idea which countries are more likely to have people protecting other people's property, but I can imagine a stronger urge to prevent vandalism in a place where there is a strong sense of community spirit and also where there are more small businesses. In this country, I can imagine someone in a small village going to stop some vandals from destroying a local pub or something, whereas in a city, I can't imagine someone coming to the aid of their local Tescos.
Once a culture like that exists, it reinforces itself. So, in a country where people all muck in to help someone who was being mugged, for example, you might feel more confident tackling a problem knowing that the next person to pass by will come and back you up. Conversely, here you know people are more likely to walk past and not help.
Personally, I've never seen anything that I would need to be involved in, but as a small, young woman I can't imagine myself getting involved if I thought there was a physical risk to me - that's just common sense!
:rollseyes: i dare ask, what if anything you mean by that?
we walk on by because we are more interested in ourselves
fuelled by silly tv shows telling us what house to buy and what to wear to view it so we seal the deal and can nip into a top class restraunt that reflects our need for local produce to celebrate with friends via 3g conference .
In this country, if you help someone and inadvertently cause damage, you can be prosecuted.
The US and Canada have Good Samaritan Laws.
"Its purpose is to keep people from being reluctant to help a stranger in need for fear of legal repercussions if they were to make some mistake in treatment."
The other part you were talking about are "Duty to Rescue" laws. Some US states have Duty to Rescue laws, but most don't. There are some exceptions though. Much of Europe has Duty to Rescue laws. But even just calling the police is enough to qualify as a "rescue" under these laws.
Good question. In countries like Singapore, which has a very low crime rate, the police and local communities seem to join forces. This is an excerpt from a publication I read some time ago on that very subject:
Whether UK society is too far gone for such an approach to be effective is the big question. However, speaking personally I'm the type of person who can't walk by if I see someone being victimised or beat up. I don't endanger myself unduly but I have taken risks on occasion to prevent people being assaulted. I don't understand the mentality of people, for example, who will drive around an unconscious body in the road.
I wouldn't be surprised. I was on the bus and there were loads of old people on there. I was just waiting for my stop and my cola had burst open all over my hair and my clothes, the seat and the floor, the only person who helped me was the young bus driver who handed me some kleenex tissues and the elderly people didn't bother to help me. An elderly lady sat beside me despite me cleaning up the mess on the floor because of my drink but I had no help the whole journey. I don't know maybe I think too kindly of people.
I'm not one to sit and ignore something bad happening, the other day driving a long with my grandma we passed a biker lying on the road with his bike on top of him. We helped him up diverted traffic and got him to a hospital. There are good Samaritans in the community but I think they are few and far between. A lot of people just don't want to get involved as my mum says.
Comments
Perhaps but I tend to believe that it's the partnership attitude and vested interest in living in a low crime society that makes the difference rather than their harsh penalties. I think it would take a sea change of epic proportions in the UK for us to get to that stage.
Fair play to you for that. I was just thinking, since I have a daughter of 8, what kind of parent would order a child of that age from the house. The only place my daughter is ever alone is in the bathroom or her bedroom. We've only just let her outside to play on her own (as long as one of us is at the window watching).
Enough credibility as a compulsive liar I'm afraid.
Having been to Singapore, from a personal point of view, I found the penalties are far more effective in determining my own behaviour.
I believe in some countries - I thought it was Germany, actually, but not sure - it's illegal not to help someone in need if possible. In this country, if you help someone and inadvertently cause damage, you can be prosecuted. Wasn't there a case about a man who removed a motorcyclist's helmet and paralyzed him or something? So from that point of view, it would be against your best interests to risk helping someone.
When it comes to damage of property, I think that people are more likely to pass on by thinking that it's better to allow it to happen than to risk getting attacked by the people doing it. I have no idea which countries are more likely to have people protecting other people's property, but I can imagine a stronger urge to prevent vandalism in a place where there is a strong sense of community spirit and also where there are more small businesses. In this country, I can imagine someone in a small village going to stop some vandals from destroying a local pub or something, whereas in a city, I can't imagine someone coming to the aid of their local Tescos.
Once a culture like that exists, it reinforces itself. So, in a country where people all muck in to help someone who was being mugged, for example, you might feel more confident tackling a problem knowing that the next person to pass by will come and back you up. Conversely, here you know people are more likely to walk past and not help.
Personally, I've never seen anything that I would need to be involved in, but as a small, young woman I can't imagine myself getting involved if I thought there was a physical risk to me - that's just common sense!
our self indulgent ignorance and dependency on image is almost frighting .
i dare ask, what if anything you mean by that? If you must give your opinion on it, try to not disguise it as fact.
we walk on by because we are more interested in ourselves
fuelled by silly tv shows telling us what house to buy and what to wear to view it so we seal the deal and can nip into a top class restraunt that reflects our need for local produce to celebrate with friends via 3g conference .
I feel safe-ish until it's dark
Kind of
I have stepped in
thankfully our lifes are cushioned by the unique brittish sense of humour .
The US and Canada have Good Samaritan Laws.
"Its purpose is to keep people from being reluctant to help a stranger in need for fear of legal repercussions if they were to make some mistake in treatment."
The other part you were talking about are "Duty to Rescue" laws. Some US states have Duty to Rescue laws, but most don't. There are some exceptions though. Much of Europe has Duty to Rescue laws. But even just calling the police is enough to qualify as a "rescue" under these laws.
Well it may be in the Daily Star, but it was also on the Today programme on Radio 4 on Wednesday morning.
I wouldn't be surprised. I was on the bus and there were loads of old people on there. I was just waiting for my stop and my cola had burst open all over my hair and my clothes, the seat and the floor, the only person who helped me was the young bus driver who handed me some kleenex tissues and the elderly people didn't bother to help me. An elderly lady sat beside me despite me cleaning up the mess on the floor because of my drink but I had no help the whole journey. I don't know maybe I think too kindly of people.
I'm not one to sit and ignore something bad happening, the other day driving a long with my grandma we passed a biker lying on the road with his bike on top of him. We helped him up diverted traffic and got him to a hospital. There are good Samaritans in the community but I think they are few and far between. A lot of people just don't want to get involved as my mum says.