Friday 12 August 2011

Experts! Is There Nothing They Can’t Tell Us?

An expert in criminal justice has said she is not surprised the riots spread so quickly to Nottingham.
Oh?
Dr Judith Rowbotham, reader in historical criminal justice studies at Nottingham Trent University, teaches a module on the history of rioting,

She said: "I think it is because Nottingham has a substantially young population.

"The police force in Nottingham don't seem to be particularly well respected.

"There are very clear city areas in Nottingham, as well as places like Birmingham and Bristol, where you have groups of young people, who seem to make up most of the rioters, and they seem to be having fun doing it."
Well, you’re the ‘expert’, so what do you make of it?
Dr Rowbotham said the riots don't seem to be typical, as there is no clear political cause or statement being made.
I guess your field is just too narrow, love.
"People who riot are making a point – if you didn't have the vote or you were unhappy about a whole range of things, you rioted to make your point very clear. But with these riots, there doesn't seem to be a clear cause. What seems so far to be the most striking fact about these riots is the destruction of property.
I guess your module didn’t cover this sort of thing. Maybe, in the future, it should?
"One of the most interesting things if you look at the images, is that the young men and women involved are having a ball.

"They are getting new electrical devices, clothing and food for free. What's to stop them going back on the street – especially if there is a reluctance to help police.
A reluctance by whom?
"Policing works when they have the support of the community – if they haven't got that then I can't see it stopping any time soon."
The rioters and looters are ‘the community’ now.

I guess Rowbotham is just another on the long, long list of enablers of the next riot…

13 comments:

Bobo said...

Liberals Mugged By Reality. Again.

There's an article in today's Mail about houses in Notting Hill (near that Michelin starred restaurant 'The Ledbury' that got steamed) being invaded by mobs of screaming Hottentots. The report focuses on one house: the woman is described as an ex-teacher, and the report sounds pretty horrific, as it would (will) be if (when) the forces of Barabarism were (are) camped on your doorstep, baying for your blood and any portable items of value you may have about the house.

One's sympathy diminshes when you notice that the man of the house is described as a 'TV Executive'.

Raises the interesting question of Middle Class Community Resilience, doesn't it? How much will the liberal elite put up with before they abandon 'vibrant' and 'diverse' urban living for the safety, security, and (of course incidentally)the mono-culturalism of the shires?

"The rats have finished re-arranging the deckchairs,Captain, and now they say they're ready to scuttle off down the mooring ropes."

SBC said...

"the forces of Barabarism were (are) camped on your doorstep,"

I once knew a 'retired major' type who lived in that general area of London.

He kept a Webley in the drawer under the hall telepone (yes, the Memsahib had knitted a telephone cover). Every Sunday after reading the paper he'd spread out the supplement, clean and reload the pistol.

He used to say "You never worry about answering the door late at night if you have a Rigby Nitro-Express on the wall".

Of course these enlighted days we know better and every right thinking person abhors such 'gun crime' criminals.

Macheath said...

Supreme irony - academics, teaching that rioters always have a purpose, forced to find a political justification for the looting because otherwise their credibility goes up the spout.

The research of vulcanologists and those who study tsunamis is espected to help reduce the damage inflicted on humanity by future disasters; does that of Dr Rowbotham serve any such purpose?

Or are those who study 'the history of rioting' simply armchair arsonists?

Mark said...

Julia-is the author of the rubbish you have highlighted in this post related to this veteran left wing feminist ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheila_Rowbotham

Our Sheila is described here as 'born 1943' but few further details of a personal nature are given. If she sprogged in the mid 60s Judith could well have been her 'red diaper baby', as they say across the pond.

Anonymous said...

"I think it is because Nottingham has a substantially young population"

More pertinently, it suffers from a substantial population of the non-Caucasian persuasion.

Rob said...

The percentage of Criminologists who are far-Left whackos is incredible, about 99.87%. The BBC loves them, as people see 'Criminologist' or 'Expert' and assume they are unbiased.

Red card said...

Years ago I recall Nottingham was cited as the place with the most players sent off for assaulting referees while playing in amateur football games.

Of course, nothing to do with riots, etc, but telling that maybe in Nottingham they simply dislike any authority figures. Refs included.

In other words, they always have been feral down in the Meadows.

Greencoat said...

Thank you, Dr Rowbotham, for these piercingly incisive conclusions.

Now go and do the washing up.

Anonymous said...

House prices in those 98.89% white parts of the West Country will soar over the next year or so as white middle-class lefties abandon London and flee to the shires.

Ancient + Tattered Airman said...

There has been a steady stream of 'white flight' coming to the West Country for years. Less than 40% of Cornwalls population are Cornish. Newcomers are generally welcomed - if they remember to bring some manners with them.

ivan said...

One must remember the definition of Expert is - x is the unknown quantity and a spurt is a drip under pressure, and act accordingly.

JuliaM said...

"Liberals Mugged By Reality. Again."

I'm lovin' it!

"He used to say "You never worry about answering the door late at night if you have a Rigby Nitro-Express on the wall"."

*gulp*

"...forced to find a political justification for the looting because otherwise their credibility goes up the spout."

And since, most of the time, that credibility is only with other wackademics, a bit pointless?

"One must remember the definition of Expert is - x is the unknown quantity and a spurt is a drip under pressure, and act accordingly."

Indeed!

SBC said...

*gulp*-Joolz

Thing about such 'elephant guns' is that it would have gone through the Major's front door, through Stabby Mc Negro, through Stabette Mc Negero, through Fang, through the engine block of the Major's burning 'Old Gal' and continued on across the road to kill the copper in full riot gear going about his 'lawful duty' ie standing with his hands in his pockets watching the fun.

The 'Major' used to take the gun to the sea-cide and blast seagulls. Which tells you 1.he was a bloody good shot, 2. he was a true british 'eccentric' ie 'nut job' 3. the word 'overkill' wasn't in his vocabulary and 4.he really hated seagulls.