I AM writing in reply to Steve' (LT, January 15) who wrote to say kids today are no worse or better.

Kids today are much, much worse than they ever were. They are defiant, cheeky, troublesome and cause upset and misery on the streets for decent people, more so the elderly.

I am only in my 30s, but I do know that when I was a child, I wouldn't dare get up to half the things the low-life troublemakers get up to on our streets today, because I for one, had something for other people which is called respect'.

Wake up Steve and all the rest that say kids just need something to do to keep them out of trouble and off our streets.

They need a quick, sharp shock and to be made to suffer the consequences of the appalling actions they are forever dishing out to innocent vulnerable, good decent people of today.

Tougher sentences, longer sentences are what's needed. Failing that, there's always the option of sending all the troublemakers to a remote island to rot.

It's no less than they deserve. I am sick to death of picking up a newspaper to find yet another old lady has been battered and robbed, or a car has been stolen and written off by joyriders.

It has to stop now. Having nothing to do is no excuse for committing crime.

ANGELA (via email).