Surely it is clear by now to ministers that children (some as young as six) devoid of any correction or discipline, will go on to commit worse crimes.

With an increase in the child population, it is necessary, in the absence of parental training, that members of the public should be allowed to at least criticise them in public.

Children are notorious for provoking to "see how far they can go".

There is also much in the news these days about people trying to protect their property who find themselves locked in a police cell, then onwards to court.

It is alarming that a man disturbed by the hapless owner of a fence he was trying to smash, replied: "Well, it's only a fence."

Returning from Victoria, several skateboarders got into my train but were not told to leave their skateboards in the luggage compartment.

The smallest boy (aged about seven) knelt up on the seat and commenced to peel the map off the wall.

I watched in dismay, realising nothing I could say would make any difference.

I asked: "Why are you doing that?" and one of the others said: "There's another one underneath."

The boy had no right to interfere with anything, even if there was another map underneath.

What four young boys were doing on the train far from home is anyone's guess.

Without parents, a guardian or chaperone, it is left to the public - but, unfortunately, our hands are tied.

-Phillip Bond, Eastern Road, Brighton