I WAS dismayed to read that there is considerable public support to put curfews on under-16-year-olds to curb the rise in knife and gun crime (News and Editorial, last week). It seems to overlook the fact that a large majority of young people are well behaved and achieve worthwhile goals.

The present problems can be alleviated by a recognition of family values, with more responsibility on parents, and powers of discipline and authority to be returned to school teachers. The police need to walk the streets instead of filling in countless forms and making endless reports. A curfew will cause many to become disaffected when we seek to make them feel they belong to the community.

I deplore the use of knives and other weapons and entirely agree long sentences should be imposed. In case you should think that these observations are from “disgruntled of Thurgarton”, may I say that during my 23 years as a circuit judge I sentenced several thousand young people and am glad to say that a number, given help and encouragement and employment, never returned.

His Honour John Hopkins
Thurgarton, Nottingham

Fighting talk: We should all help police fight the yob culture, but to impose a 9pm curfew is not the way. Will it be 8pm in winter? If that does not work, 7pm?

This is a dangerous and sinister development. I hope one teenager refuses to obey the police, is arrested and sues for damages for assault and false imprisonment.

Indeed, as a lawyer, I will help free of charge.

Rodney Hylton-Potts
London SW6

Start at home: If nine out of 10 parents support a legal curfew for under16s, what is there to stop them from applying it to their own children?

John Rogers
Camberley, Surrey

On the mean streets: I moved into north London from the Netherlands three months ago and have witnessed daily explosions of anger in shops, where mothers scream at their kids, and on buses, where the drivers and other passengers are routinely abused. This is a violent and disturbed society.

Richard Boyd
London

A small subculture: Going to school in the late 1990s/early 2000s I saw this sort of subculture before it got mainstream attention. It doesn’t change the fact that the vast majority of teenagers are not out to cause trouble. The only solution is longer prison sentences.

Katie Elsmore
Warwickshire

Latchkey gangs: This government has made it impossible for mums to stay home to bring up their kids which is why gangs of youths roam the streets as they have no one to go home to after school.

Carrie McGrath
Woodford Green, Essex

Scenes of crime: Social breakdown and the rise in knife and other violent crime is not caused by Labour, as suggested by the shadow home secretary. It is caused by television programmes, computer games and films.

Keith Colin
Worthing, West Sussex

A stab at justice: Jacqui Smith has lost the plot. If I’d been stabbed, the last thing I’d want would be my assailant to visit me in hospital. It might be unfashionable in liberal legal circles, but the fact is that the public wants knifers locked up.

Geoffrey Negus
Solihull

Cutting retort: Whatever next – a group hug for knife carriers?

Paul Green
Nottingham

Bound to stay in: Older folk already have their own self-imposed curfew. Try to find one on the streets of south London after dark.

Alan Barrett
Leatherhead, Surrey

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