"SOME youths aged between 16 and 18 and likely to get into trouble with the law are being packed off to National Service a little earlier than usual.
Between 10 and 15 such boys have been referred by the year-old Community Court to the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) for enlistment."
So it IS punishment after all, and we're all put through it for the sins of our parents -.-
Seriously speaking, what type of sentence are we looking at here? Early enlistment to enforce discipline in them, who are we kidding here? I've had friends who came out from the now-defunct fearsome SAFEC (SAF Education Centre) where they were subjected to sadistic punishment like carrying their cupboards a few storeys down to the parade square. Down, boy!
But now, where NS is known to be nothing more than physical training and being able to stand slackers and do their part of the work for them; a place where once you understand the mechanics of who's afraid of who in the chain of command (the trump card usually being "my so-and-so is MP for xxx district"), you don't have to fear anyone.
Delinquents need to be shown more love. And by that I mean real attention by social workers, not giving them a chance to slack in the haven of smokers and slackers.
Just like we all need more love!
