Brian Casey has witnessed a lot in his 52 years.
As a police officer for 10 years he saw how too many teenagers with too much time on their hands got sucked in to gangs.
And as a serving Church of Scotland minister based in the north of Glasgow, he has now spotted the same social ills take hold again.
Brian is no shrinking violet and when he warns of a return to the kind of youth violence he witnessed in the 80s, we should pay attention.
He speaks of a whole generation of youths who are disaffected and angry after two years of lockdowns.
Their schools were closed and they were forbidden from meeting up.
Brian warns he is now seeing the re-emergence of street gangs and the associated violence as a result.
The Record has reported how a wave of youth violence is sweeping across social media.
Savage beatings in classrooms are being filmed and shared by thousands.
While there is no excusing senseless violence, we must put it in a wider context.
Councils are strapped for cash and many services could be axed as a result.
Children growing up in poor areas with little in the way of amenities to start with will be worst hit.
We can’t allow them to be written off.
Youngsters must be offered a positive vision for the future.
Or we should not be surprised when some of them choose a more negative alternative.
Protecting youth services in local communities would be a start.
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