Reflections on 'mindless vandalism'

A couple of years ago I posted about the pinfold in Bishopthorpe, a restored medieval pound now a simple village meeting and resting place. It's also a neat example of public property that is community-owned.

But community-ownership is not always easy. Bishopthorpe.net, the local site set up by my friend former resident Martin Dudley, unhappily reports vandalism to the pinfold.

Three quick thoughts occurred to me as I read the post and comments.

First, it's seems unfortunate how quickly the unquestioned assumption is made that young people are to blame. Many of us have probably seen grown men (or women, less likely) do considerably more damage in no time at all in a variety of contexts, with or without the influence of alcohol. There may be justification for the assumption that there are no such adults in the vicinity of Bishopthorpe, I don't know.

Secondly, there are parts of the country where this level of damage in one day or night, and no stabbings, would be regarded as a stunning result for the policing and anti-social behaviour teams. But let us not fall into the trap of therefore dismissing its impact in this context. Disorder in the local environment can have rapidly accumulating negative effects, and people are right I think both to remain sensitive to levels of order around them, and to take pride in the way they have collectively restored their heritage.

Thirdly, it's reassuring to think that issues like this can and do get aired openly, and views considered and refined, in an online space.

Just a pity that young people don't seem to be occupying much of that online space, because it might be a good place to be hearing their views.

Comments

[Liz Ixer]

Found myself agreeing with your thoughts very strongly, and smiling a little at the idea that "lack of space, opportunities, poor education and a feeling of no-hope for the future" were somehow peculiar to deprived urban environments.

Just a couple of things that occured to me (I know I'm making a lot of assumptions ;it may be that young people in the village are welcomed to participate, it is also more than possible that youngsters had nothing to do with it) is whether that sense of ownership of a public space that the village has for the pinfold extends to the young people.

Do they feel welcome and able to meet there and are they treated as members or the community or invaders?

Would that extend to any attempts at trying to enter the online space? Do they have a young person to write for them on the blog? Where's the category which reflects what young people do/want?

(as I said assumptions but I'm just going on first impressions which I guess a lot of people would do visiting the site)

[Martin]

From the moment it opened younger people met there of an evening, and there was some determined vandalism. Conversations were had with them, and also the police dropped by from time to time to reinforce the message that you are welcome to use it (tho not by all those living fairly close by) please respect it and even consider a duty to protect it. One young man said that they needed a number of places to hang out not just one, that they looked for places where 'they are not being watched' and they had concerns about incoming gangs wrecking the place (as had happened with a camp they set up for biking in the woods). Invited ftf and by email to write for the site but nowt was 'eard. Although young people were involved in discussions with the Parish Council over a proposed play area, and although there are numerous youth based activities including a mobile drop-in, engagement in new initiatives remains a problem, although in general the youngsters (apart from the infamous semi-riot outside the pub one bonfire night that lead to custodial criminal convictions and a campaign to 'free the B. six'!) are well-behaved and do their own thing.

I think the top row of bricks were badly fixed and as it is cool to sit on the wall not the seating, they just got worn off!