Violence-buster needs plenty of ammunition

HERE'S tae us. Wha's like us? Well, Argentineans, Lithuanians and Costa Ricans, if national levels of murders of young men are compared. Sociologists and anthropologists might be able to pinpoint the common factor in the violent behaviour that leads to unlawful killing of young males in four such disparate countries.

The topic might make for a PhD thesis, but here on the ground, in the physical, rather than philosophical, world, the cultural phenomenon that blights Scottish society demands attention now, as compared to the years taken by an academic study.

Scotland's appalling statistics of murders of young men, by their contemporaries, must be rooted in how we teach our children to behave towards each other, what qualities in others they should respect and strive to emulate, and how we impress on them that carrying weapons will get them into trouble, not out of it. Young men are knifed as the result of learned, not genetically-inspired behaviour. If it was otherwise, Corby, where almost a fifth of the population are Scots-born, would be the most violent town in England.

So why should Scotland's young men be five times more likely to die after an attack, or in a fight in which the knife played a fatal role, than their counterparts living in the southern part of the island we share? Although our politics diverge, our churches differ and each country has its own historical heroes, our contemporary, popular culture is very similar, drawing as it does from the same transatlantic well.

And this, perhaps, could prove the obstacle that frustrates the national Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), despite its public and governmental support.

If the VRU has to fight the good fight, with only truth and decency, it's worthwhile learning from the experience of several excellent public interest groups, who've nevertheless failed to change different manifestations of antisocial behaviour or defeatist, negative attitudes.

Detective Chief Superintendent John Carnochan is the man with enough confidence to admit to the violence in our society, and the courage to set a date, 2017, by which the VRU aims to have made a significant reduction in our community's levels of violence. Some people will say he's on mission impossible, others will be super-enthusiastic at the start of his long-haul campaign, but will somehow tail-off their practical support as they gravitate to the next crusade. But if the campaign is to succeed, John Carnochan will need the resources to defeat the counter-influences of electronic games, the darker side of the internet, strongly-hyped Hollywood films and the glorification of self-indulgent, violent or mock-violent behaviour of cinematic or style icons.

Working with teachers, social workers, police and medical staff, John Carnochan believes that as a society, we can teach our children about restraint and consideration for others, a lot better than at present. The head of the VRU has correctly identified the primary school as the battleground where conversions can be made to non-violence and sensible, responsible drinking.

But just as primary school pupils will eat and enjoy their healthy alternative school meals, and then go home to where their favourite recipes all end with a "ping", so they will be open to the VRU's message. But their favourite programmes and DVDs, featuring all-star American real or animated anti-heroes, will also condition their attitudes and behaviour.

It takes much more money and expertise to counter this malign influence than governments are usually willing or, to be fair, able to spend. We underestimate the insidious influence of the bad and anti-social behaviour observed and absorbed by young audiences targeted by film-makers, usually based outside the UK.

It would be too easy, and dishonest, to lay the blame for our cultural violence at the door of the devisors of Grand Theft Auto or the producers of Reservoir Dogs, while we have a history of admiring the wee kilted hardmen named the Ladies from Hell by terrified German troops, or the so-called Poison Dwarves who shocked German civilians. Generally in Scotland there's been toleration, and sometimes admiration for a man who could hold his drink and hit his opponent fair and square.

But there's nothing fair or admirable in getting tooled up and boozed up ... there never has been. The VRU has my admiration and support.

Capital week ends on sporting high
LAST week was a good week. Alex Salmond and Gordon Brown might not think it to have been the best of weeks they've known since entering their respective parliaments, but I count it as one of my career highs.

It's more than five years since I first floated the idea of Edinburgh having a unique "Capital City Status" in relation to the funding formula for local councils used by the Scottish Government. I'll spare the blushes of some of the then opposition politicians who scorned my idea, and instead rejoice that it now enjoys the support of some very highly-placed government ministers.

And as well as winning the pledge from Finance Minister John Swinney that he'd work with Edinburgh City Council to find the best way of paying the council for the extra facilities and services provided by it for Scotland, Alex Salmond also agreed with me that Chancellor Alistair Darling should be asked to create a level playing field for the housing authorities whose tenants had voted to keep council control. The First Minister said that all parties in the chamber should support equity of treatment.

To top-off my brilliant week, Sports Minister Stewart Maxwell gave a nod as good as a wink to another of my pet campaigns . . . to keep sportscotland.