Erstellt am: 26. 8. 2011 - 15:37 Uhr

Tough talk and empty rhetoric

When the going gets tough, the politicans get.... talking.

Don't just stand there, do something!

Whenever something unexpected happens, there is pressure on the government to do something, or at least to be SEEN to do something. Whether it’s storms, riots or too many people overweight, the question is “what is the government doing about it?” Realistically, there is often very little they can do, so they have to SAY something, and it has to sound good, even if doesn't make any sense.

Putting cynicism aside for a moment, it is, of course, good that pressure be kept on the decision makers to take all appropriate measures to protect and serve the interests of the people who elected them. But. there is a downside: that pressure also means that politicians sometimes give “knee jerk” reactions that may not be helpful or suitable to the situation.

Government backs off social media restrictions

Let’s take the London riots. The need to be seen to be doing something - or at least to talk about doing something, led to a meeting yesterday between the British government, police and executives from Twitter, Facebook and Blackberry. Fortunately, it was decided that the government would not seek additional powers to shut down social networking sites in times of emergency. Good. If they had, that would have put them on a par with places like China and Iran. However, the fact that anyone had the idea in the first place is a little unsettling. The meeting ended with lots of platitudes and statements about “constructive talks” and “working together”, but I can’t help feeling that when they all got together, the penny finally dropped that the proposal to restrict social media was both against the principles of a free society and common sense prevailed.

Tough talk leads to tough sentences

That wasn’t the only example of the rhetorical knee jerk in relation to the riots. In his first speech responding to the situation, Prime Minister, David Cameron, was clearly under pressure to “talk tough”. Among other things, he said

“if you are old enough to commit these crimes you are old enough to face the punishment”

Fine words, but in fact the age of criminal responsibility in England is 10, so however worthy of punishment any under 10 year old rioters may have been, they can’t legally be prosecuted.

He also promised that rioters would “feel the full force of the law” and “see the consequences of their actions.” This, in turn, put pressure on the courts, and they responded with severe punishment for what would normally be considered relatively minor offences. So is this really justice, or revenge implemented by the courts on behalf of an angry general public?

John Cooper is a barrister at the Crown Office Chambers who defended some of the rioters in court. He told Elizabeth Alcock that in cases like this the pressure on politicians to take a hard line brings them into conflict with the judicial system, and that means there will be cases where justice is not served in the usual way. He also says there is an element to the reactions of politicians that is pure rhetoric, and cannot legally or practically be implemented, for example David Cameron’s threat to deprive rioters of social benefits. That, he says, would require a change in the law, and would not be a suitable punishment anyway.

"Aggravating features" of riot situation

Sally Ireland, director of criminal justice policy at the legal watchdog “Justice”, says it’s normal, and not necessarily a bad thing, for sentences to become harsher in instances where there are “aggravating features”, for example, that petty theft in the context of the riots is considered a more serious crime than when it is an isolated incident. Nevertheless, she does say that the tide of public feeling around the riots did mean that individual circumstances were often not given sufficient care by the courts.

A lifetime of regret ahead

At the end of the day, the people who took part in the riots will become self punishing. They have to live with the consequences of their actions and the impact it will have on their own lives. In Britain, having a criminal record will mean life-long difficulties in getting a job, finding housing, even travelling. Mervyn Barratt of the crime reduction charity, “Narco”, says that while many of the punishments meted out by the courts now may be unfair, the rioters have a lifetime of regret ahead of them, and that is a problem not just for them, but also for the wider society that will have to support them.

It’s a sobering thought that, long after the “tough talk” of the politicans has been forgotten, as usual, it is the ordinary taxpayer who will continue to pick up the tab. The impact of the infamous London riots may be felt for many, many years to come, and as John Cooper said, politicians should be careful what they say: the consequences may be far wider reaching than they imagine in the heat of the moment.

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