The sentiment that we are not been HARD ENOUGH with our misbehaving children is dross. As any parent knows punishment is specific to circumstance.
An authoritarian culture simply delays kids developing their own meaningful sense of right and wrong. Look to the community, don't blame kids.

Joe Crosbie, Lonodn, UK

Crimes like these are no different from those portrayed as entertainment in many well-known soap operas. Question is, which came first? I, for one, firmly believe that violence on screen is influencing certain members of society. This is worsened by social networking websites. Crime is NOT cool!

David, Cheshire,

Sexual equality / repression of women have nothing to do with it. Alcohol is a testosterone stimulant. Everybody is drinking more - women especially more than they have done historically (near history anyway). Couple this with a general decline in moral standards = Boadicea of the sink estate

rory, London,

<sigh> Please folks, read the article before we all start baying for blood. The author states that the probable reason for the rise is largely due to the increase in population size (these stats are absolute) and the change in reporting behaviour of what would previously be considered minor offences

Neil, Fife,

No surprise. Society (especially in the UK) has been unravelling since the 1960's, and proceeds at an ever faster, and frightening, rate.

Ian Smith, King's Lynn, UK

Violent acts are NOT the result of drinking, drugs, or red-bull for that matter. Add an unbridled violent temperament and a society that fails to punish anti-social behavior and You get suburban version of Xena, the queen of the jungle.

It is also a question of social ranking.

Rui, Lisbon, Where the streets have no name

For all the rhetoric, the figure still show that boys are by far and away the worst offender gender. All that we are seeing is that girls are capable of crime and are getting caught, same as adults. Cut out all the PC stuff about liberal policies and punish both groups equally for the same crime.

Peter, Birmingham,

Bring back smacking...

...all you bleading heart liberals and PC nuts this is your fault! You took away discipline and now look - Britain is over run by feral youth and adults who don't know how to control them

R Hutchinson, Edinburgh, UK

This situation with England's females is so predictable. Look at their role models, vain, silly, totally self-centred with the talent of a boiled egg. And take off the rosy specs boyos and what do you see? That females are as stupid and gormless pro rata as males. Women's "lib"? Garbage.

John P, Westcliff on sea, England

Girls have always been capable of violence & nastiness - & bullying of the worst kind. Problem is now that these girls receive absolutely no discipline from anywhere. Teachers have no rights to control them & many parents don't seem to care. Somehow we need to get them to respect themselves, then us

Gemma, Notts,

Political correctness and fear of being accused of child abuse have resulted in a downturn in certain parents and adults nurturing, or even chastising, children, especially in public. The result? Packs of feral youths, who know no better, trying to find their own way in life.

David, Cheshire,

This goes back a bit to people like Zoe Ball and the rest of the ladettes setting trends for no other purpose other than to make themselves famous - before then most women wouldn't be seen in public with a pint and a fag The media falls for it and promotes it. It's interesting that Zoe Ball was then forced to enter reality ballroom dancing competitions for her next bout of publicity. Meanwhile the legacy is left behind. A lot of young girls are leaving their homes half drunk having consumed quantities of Vodka and the like in their bedrooms mixed with soft drinks so their parents don't spot it. There's a gang culture developed from this with the over 18's buying the alcohol (as well as some unscrupulous shop owners selling it direct).

probonopublico, Sidcup, Kent

Get rid of the CHAV culture- no positive role model. Bring discipline back , give more power to police ,school and make parents accountable. Pay young people not to get pregnant and stay in school. Welfare breeds laziness.

Kaiser, Bucks , UK

Girls commit as many crimes as boys. They are just cleverer at escaping detection. So, often, some boy gets the blame. Perhaps the vogue for "laddism" has resulted in them becoming careless.

When I was at school the girls in my form would have made St. Trinians look like a finishing school.

PJW Holland, London,

No surprise this article, Labour has done all it can to encourage a lot of single mums to get pregnant and then get a place to live paid by the state and live on the dole. Not saying all single parent mums, But you can tell the ones I mean, the way they dress, the way they swear at there kids.

Graham, Southend, UK

Highest rates of suicide amoung young males...it's a man's world? Catch yourself on!! We should all look to the likes of Ms Blair and her 'Sterling' work with Matrix Chambers, to see the agendas being rammed through what is left of UK society! Gender equality smokescreen for power lust junkies!!!

H. Harman, Westminster, UK

Positive discrimination and social engineering have created feral females.

New Labour has nurtured a generation of 'special groups' of British citizens.

Sadly, this group involves our non-male persons.

What hope is there that these feral females are capable of parenting the next generation?

esward leigh, wigan, england

Don't be daft Sara. Raising the drinking age to 21 wouldn't stop those under 21 drinking - they would just be commiting a crime when they did it, helping the crime figures UPWARDS.

"boys and young men are still responsible for the overwhelming bulk of youth offending" - must be discrimination lol

Paul, Cambridge, UK

Why is Britain suprised by this?
A society where nobody has to learn or follow the rules of the society is bound to see an increase in yob behaviour. Each generation there are more joining the "bovvered" culture. Teachers no longer discipline children in the name of political correctness. Madness

Matt, Antibes, France

Increasing the drinking age isnt the answer. We need to better educate young people and hold them accountable if they do act inappropriatly. We also need to make it harder to buy alcohol, enforcing the ID regulations and harsher fines for people who do buy it underage.

Richard, Manchester, England

Legalize Marijuana and ban alchohol then there won't be all this violence on the streets. But it'll never happen because Gorpy Gordon and his crew have only eyes for money and electoral spin. Booze Britain,the most violent country in Europe,and the Government makes billions out of it !! So sick.

Andy Bee, Glasgow, UK

To quote sk, it is the growth of "alleycat morals" as well as the "benefits Britain" that's the problem. Other problems in our culture are drinking with the intent of getting drunk and claiming benefits as an alternative to working. Then they moan when the Polish come to do their jobs for them!!

Prakhar Bahuguna, London, United Kingdom

I tend to agree with the sentiment that those who disregard others human rights in that action effectively loose those rights.

Paul, Rugby,

Stephanie of London,

You have a dangerous attitude. Wait until some of the violence is directed against you and your property, then see if you're still so laid-back about it.

Tina, Dusseldorf, Germany

These male and female thugs feel nothing for other respectable people, so human rights should only apply to those who stay within the law, therefore, bring back public flogging. Lets see how brave these thugs are after they have been thrashed a lot of times. Then they can crawl back to their slums.

Frank Sloane, Durham,

Perhaps raising the drinking age to 21 (as it is in America) and having to carry an ID card would really help the crime figures

Sara Haydon, Camden Town, London, UK

Increasing sexual equality means that the rates of violent crimes for boys and girls will continue to converge.

Paul, Coventry,

When is the Government going to realise that it is the deterioration of marriage and a growing culture of alleycat morals that is to blame. This is reflected in the soaps on TV where loose morals and yob culture are promoted as cool, normal behaviour.

sk, East Sussex, England

maybe so but it is still only 6% of women that make up the entire population of the UKs criminals that we pay for the up keep of in our prisons!Also women have been so repressed over the centuries that is there any wonder that there is some sort of major onslaught? It is still very much a mans world

Stephanie , London,

Publicans who serve alcohol to minors should be fined and have their licence suspended - ID cards should be mandatory.
Criminal sanctions for violent crimes are pathetic - a zero tolerance approach is needed - enforced community service orders instead of jail.

Chris Robinson, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Its a good job crime is falling, if you believe Labour that is?

steve tea, manchester, cheshire