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02/16/2006: "When did we all become criminals?"

Soundtrack: Sonic Boom Six - Sounds to Consume

Radio 4's PM programme carried a feature this evening about a 'Sonic Teenager Deterrent' apparently being trialled in some areas of the country. Basically it is a transmitter which emits a very unpleasant high pitched noise. Since the ability to hear high pitched sounds decreases as you get older, most people over 25 or so are unable to hear it. They played it over the radio and I could hear it clearly (I'm 23)

Google reveals that the device is being marketed by Compound Security Systems Ltd, whose website reads:

"Fed Up With Abusive Teenagers Hanging Around Your Shop?
Yes !

Compound Security Systems Ltd, Through Extensive R & D Has
Produced The MOSQUITO Unit That Uses Complex High
Frequency Sound To Chase Away Those Annoying Teenagers!!"

I'll ignore for a minute the horrendous grammar, the Tendency To Capitalise Everything, and the eye-wateringly garish nature of their website (grumbling middle-aged middle-england can't be expected to get to grips with this new fangled interweb thingy now can they). Instead I'll get straight to the point.

When did everyone under the age of 25 become an 'undesirable'? This is the only conclusion I can draw since this system isn't going to discriminate between hardened 'yobs' intent on intimidating people, kids hanging round because there's nowhere else in their village to go, and perfectly law-abiding people who just want to buy a bag of chips and who happen to have good hearing.

Does it occur to anyone that saying to a whole section of the population "We saw some young people acting suspiciously once. You are young, therefore you must also be up to no good." is only going to lead to a whole lot more pissed off, alienated youth?

I guess as with many things it's easier to brand everyone with the same brush and forget about it than actually address the real problems. If the police push these at shop owners they don't have to deal with the (minority) of people who are actually there to cause trouble. Noone has to wonder why they have nothing better to do than hang around outside the shops on a friday night. It's out of sight and out of mind for British youth.

If I ever come across a shop with one of these, I will venture inside just long enough to tell them exactly why I will not be spending a single penny of my money on their premises.