OK, I know I'm gonna get flak for this but here I go, putting my knob on the block...eish. I've been to the UK and I've seen some crazy shit over there, so yip, I agree with Princess, it's nuts.
But I also firmly believe that there's some responsibility on the part of citizens of a city to engage with their space. Sitting behind a high wall, locked up in a (albeit pretty and comfy) cage is not a life, that's an existence.
Life starts when you get out into your city.
Case in point - we don't really take the time to get to know our neighbours, or our neighbourhood for that matter. Now I'm not advocating some crazy plan to make yourself vulnerable to muggers and rapists, that's crazy. But when last did you park off outside your house, kick back, read the paper as the sun went down? OK, maybe you don't hav to read, maybe you just chill out and watch the passing parade. For many, you more than likely don't have the time, and yes, if you're such a hard grafter that you don't even get to see the sunset, I understand, you can't. But you should do if you can.
It's a fact that empty streets make the best place for skebengas to roam - hey, there's nobody about to tune them 'Fokoff from here ya skebenga bastids!' There's no old ballies with walking sticks giving the uppity twats a klap round the earhole, there's no lightie bike gang circling the dodgy geezer, checking him out and letting him know he isn't welcome. The old ballie has been put in a home. The lighties are inside an airconditioned Playstation room, you guessed it...playing station.
There's no more community. Community is an outdated concept - we've replaced it with Commuter: Home - car - work - car - shop - home. What community?
And when there's no community there's a million gaps that go unplugged. People can't help each other if they don't even know each other's names.
The best detterent against crime is not an armed patrol - the best preventative is a visible presence of citizens excercising their civil right to enjoy their area. When people are hanging out in their street, the skebenga's keep walking. Yes, the streets will be empty at 2a.m. - and that does make for skebenga playtime, but at least if you'd gotten to know your neighbour, he'd jump for you if he heard a scream. At least you'd have his number, and vice versa. That, people, is community. You deserve to live in a secure environment - shit, it's enshrined in the Constitution!
You pay taxes for your area, the city sucks a levy from you but you don't enjoy the full benefit. Why?
Because you choose to sit in front of a TV and veg out on drivel and gaming instead of going outside and saying 'Howdy neighbour! Wassup?'
You never know, you might just enjoy it.

The force is strong with this one...