I AGREE with John Mason (Star letter, Wiltshire Times, July 26) that adult misbehaviour is a bad example for teenagers and that the number of teenagers who seriously misbehave is small.

Unfortunately, child crime grows into adult crime, which is part of a saga affecting the whole population for the past 50 years.

Between the 1950s and the early 1990s the general crime level, according to Home Office statistics, increased tenfold.

Little comment was made in public except to say that crime statistics were debatable; even allowing for that doubt, the real increase in crime must have been enormous. About 10 years ago, it was suggested that rising crime was caused by broken homes and bad parents.

The Permissive Society had been imported from the United States, and was being supported by the Permissive State through easier divorce, condom culture, acceptance of cohabitation outside marriage and the virtual removal of censorship; teenage pregnancy, abortion and use of drugs became common.

Widespread marital breakdown led to children playing truant, leaving home to join gangs and ending up in court and eventually prison. Such an explanation was thought to be politically incorrect.

However, more offenders were sentenced to imprisonment, and the general level of crime began to fall; but the Chief Inspector of Prisons was appalled by their state. Nevertheless, there are signs that public opinion as well as government action is beginning to have a good effect.

The open meeting suggested by John Mason would be helpful, but would the unsuccessful parents and their criminal offspring come?

CHARLES COPLAND-GRIFFITHS,

Bramley Cottage,

Trowle House,

Wingfield,

Trowbridge.