Conscription? Should we re-introduce it?

Question

Tony Eggington, the Mayor of Mansfield Notts (UK) has suggested we re-introduce conscription to help get our society 'back on track'. This follows a parade through the town y/day of returning solidiers of the local regiment after a tour in Afganistan.

He says he was proud to see the young service personnel. This made him think that if we could conscript our ASBO recipients, and other criminal fraternity, into the services then they'd learn discipline and respect and give them a sense of purpose and usefullness. Afterall, the age group of these service personnel is the same age group who cause problems with drinking/fighting/drug abuse in the town.

I've often wondered about this idea too..am I the only one who agrees with him?

Answer 1

I've worked with this type of person and can't really believe it would have the desired effect.  However, it is worth a try.  I don't want to see conscription for every young man.  If they are fitting into society, why should they have their career path disrupted?

Answer 2

Conscription would be good if it were used to instil discipline but not to send young people off to fight in what many people consider to be a needless war.

Perhaps 18 month boot camps would be of some use.

Answer 3

no..... makes sense to me...

Answer 4

Everyone in the British Army has volunteered that's why it is the best in the world.

Answer 5

I have mixed feelings. Ideally, it sounds great to conscript criminals, or, at least, offer them the option of serving in the military for a number of years instead of completing all or part of their sentences in prison. It would both save in the maintenance costs of their prison stays, and boost the number of soldiers when they're needed. There are also the possible benefits in terms of rehabilitation you mentioned.

However, I'd still be a bit uneasy about giving some criminals military training. Not all of them lack discipline - they may even thrive in a military environment. And once they've served their times, you have people who are morally capable of committing whatever crimes they committed, walking around with highly useful and dangerous military training. It has the potential to create significantly more dangerous ex-cons. Also, the amount of security and caution that voluntary soldiers and officers would have to maintain to ensure that these criminals wouldn't try to escape, even by means of murdering their fellows (with their weapons and newly given military training) might be too much to ask for.

In the end, I like the idea, but I'd be worried about the possible consequences, and medium to long term feasibility. Someone would need to present a very detailed proposal that covers all of those concerns and more before it should ever be approved.

Answer 6

I don't agree - Eggington is a populist fool. Rather than pack the youth of Mansfield off to war, why doesn't he and his cabinet address the issues that lead some of these young men and women into anti social behaviour? His only proposal to engage local youth was to offer free swimming sessions! The fact is it would be easier for him to pack them off to the Army than take the bull by the horns himself.

Answer 7

If we are just going to use criminals, fine.