Whether the thousands of rioters actually did express disillusionment – some did say they were angry at police or the world, but many appeared gleeful or greedy – it is clear that most had nothing else to do with themselves, and no reason to fear or feel responsible for the consequences of their actions.
One European Union study this year found that 17 per cent of Britain’s youth are classified as “NEETs” – for Not in Employment, Education or Training, in other words high-school dropouts with no prospects of employment – the fourth-highest percentage in the European Union. There are 600,000 people under 25 in Britain who have never had a day of work.The U.K. has lots of young people for whom the society has no use, no role, no need whatsoever. The young people know it.
We've got them too, however we do a more aggressive job of policing than the U.K. does. As a result, many of our NEETs end up spending their young adulthood in prison. It is an expensive solution to the problem.
