Here's more confirmation of the increasing violence in Perth: The state government is launching a massive, coordinated anti-violence campaign:

The plan, backed by more than 30 agencies across health, education, corrective services and police sectors, calls for more health nurses to help troubled children, compulsory alcohol and drug education in schools and more public transport after midnight to stop loitering.

It singles out alcohol as a major cause of violence and calls for tighter controls on the number and opening hours of liquor outlets. It also highlights young women becoming perpetrators of violence.

Obviously it's a good thing that they're seriously trying to address this growing problem. And I'm sure they'll have some success with it. But I think they are only scratching the surface; treating the symptoms rather than the underlying causes.

It all gets back to the family, and that institution has taken a real battering over the last few decades. There's just so much family breakdown these days. And even when parents stay together, they tend not to offer moral guidance and support like they used to. So the kids just run amok a lot of the time and end up getting exposed to alcohol and drugs. Without a sense of responsibility or restraint instilled in them by their parents, they often end up developing severe dependencies and addictions. It's just a recipe for disaster.