The problem of juvenile delinquency is more prominent than ever in Bath at the moment, writes journalist of the year Robin Peterson. Official figures suggest that 20,000 youths commit crimes in the village every week. (That's equivalent to one two-hundredth of the population of Wales.) In response to this huge problem the local police force in co-operation with the council are setting up a new detention centre. Sergeant Bobby Copperson is in charge of the project and he explained the theory. "We are going to take these young people, educate them, teach them how to behave and then release them" Mr Copperson said. I then asked him how many youths would be put in this centre. "Twenty" he replied. I point out to Mr Copperson that there will remain 19,980 youths tearing the place to shreds and that the worst would never be caught. "Ah", he replied, "You seem to be neglecting the prestige that will be involved for these juveniles (or gangsters as they prefer to be known) if they get a place in the centre - you see, to be one of the very worst twenty 'gangsters' in the village - one of the twenty most low down, scum of the earth, rot of society - it will be a great honour for those selected - they'll be practically beating the door down to get in - in fact they probably will be beating the door down to get in." I ask Mr Copperson how the youths will be chosen, "I think by application is the only fair way to do this. A gangster will send a written application outlining their recent crimes and shall provide gangster references. We were going to notify them by post if successful but since most have no fixed abode, we have a bright pink spray can and we shall write the lucky names on the wall of the local nick." Environmental groups have reacted angrily at this announcement. It's sad that measures like these are needed in the village today.