Electronic device disperses antisocial teens/kids

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I want one.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/ele ... 61245.html



Electronic Mosquito targets antisocial teenagers
Email Printer friendly version Normal font Large font Maxine Frith
February 17, 2008

A CONTROVERSIAL electronic "teenager dispersal" device has been introduced to Australia, marketed as the latest weapon against antisocial behaviour.

The Mosquito emits a high-pitched whine at a frequency audible only to the ears of young people and becomes so unbearable that they are driven away from the area.

A shopping centre in Queensland, a home owner in Canberra and an art gallery in Victoria have all bought the devices.

The NSW Police Force is considering buying one to be used in Coffs Harbour, and several local councils are interested.

In Britain, more than 3000 of the $1200 devices have been installed since they were developed there three years ago.

But children's groups say it is an infringement of human rights.

Sydney-based Cooper Electrical owns the Australian rights to the Mosquito, which will be showcased this week at a public safety officials conference on the Gold Coast.

Doug Sanderson, general manager of the Station Square Shopping Centre in Maryborough, Queensland, had a Mosquito fitted at an entrance to the mall late last year.

"We had a huge problem with teenagers . . . just hanging outside the centre all day, swearing, spitting and being intimidating," he said. "As soon as [the device] was turned on, the teenagers left."

Australian Childhood Foundation chief Joe Tucci is concerned the Mosquito may harm innocent children: "Surely, in 2008, we can find ways of being able to communicate with young people that don't cause them pain?"

Source: The Sun-Herald

What about the idea of simply playing music that they don't like? Polka can drive a lot of teenagers away.

I know a lot of shopping malls and other places use unflattering lighting and classical music to drive away undesirables.

There's a trend to out-of-control parties in Australia, hundreds of drunk teens at a web advertised party against a few police so they need something a bit more effective than polka at times.

I'm not entirely adverse to the teens winning something once in a while.

The war against normal teen behavior is way too intense sometimes. They need to blow off steam once in a while and do risky things. It's part of life.

But hearing abilities vary in any age group. Some young people won't be able to hear the device, and some older people will be able to hear it.

Secondly, how else does it target "antisocial young people"? Does the shop manager control it? Does it target everyone? Is it set off by certain patterns of movement or sounds?

I can't imagine a feasible design that would allow it to only affect young people who are behaving inappropriately. It seems inevitable that people who are behaving properly will be affected adversely by it, which will then have a negative impact on the owner of the device (reduction in business, law suits, complaints, etc.).

When I heard about this on the news the first thing I thought of was what it would do to any young autistic people with sensory issues. Does anyone know what it would do? Has anyone even bothered to think?

I'm told it's actually quite painful if used on you.

that's ridiculous.

They spent all that money on research and gadgets to disperse teenagers.


All they had to do was play loud classical music and watch 'em run before their coolness is stripped away.


yarrrr!

Rather than trying to disperse teenagers, why not try to work with others to develop a program which will assist them?

Wagner is awesome, how dare you call classical music uncool! He is like the rock star of the 19th century!

Just set up a orthopedic shoe store there with classical music, then the effects is near apocalyptic.

We have one in our local town. I'm 19 and I hear it from the other side of the street.

Photo:

Noisy Mosquito device, Co-Op, Berry Lane, Longridge



I actually wrote to the store to ask them to remove it but this was to no avail.

Dear X,

I wish to register a formal complaint regarding the above that is positioned on the Co-op building in Berry Lane, Longridge. I am a 19-year-old young man with a disability and I suffer from a visual impairment as well as hyperacusis. The latter means that I am sensitive to high-pitched sounds in particular. The Mosquito device emits a painfully excruciating noise that I can hear within at least 20 yards of the store. This causes me considerable inconvenience when I need to visit the town centre and my local bank just across the road. Indeed, I am unable to visit your store because of the effects of this equipment. I can understand that you have difficulties with certain local youths hanging around your premises and generally causing inconvenience to both you and your customers but I would suggest that this obnoxious piece of equipment does more harm than good to the general wellbeing of law-abiding people going about their daily business.

I am writing now to ask that you remove this device so that I can enjoy the freedom of being in the town centre without suffering unfair and unwarranted treatment. I look forward to receiving a reply to this letter.

Signed,

Bla Dibladi

Since that time the store has had a refit. It is in fact an intense cause of irritation whenever I go about that part of town. Surely I am entitled to walk down a street without being hassled by a noise-emitting device? Since this device was installed I have taken the measure of boycotting the store. They obviously don't want my money anyway.

Play a tone back so they understand how annoying it is ? one that even a old man could hear. put a blanket over the box ? emp ? that would fry the box but all so anything else in a 100 meter distance. go in side and tell them they are more antisocial then who they claim it is for ?

What a stupid invention/idea. Any teenager worth their salt would smash the thing to bits.

Nicely living up to the stereotype of teenagers being antisocial thugs. Get my point?

It's a right of passage. And to actually have a device set into place which hurts them? Smashing the expensive waste of effort is justified.

It's rather painful, yes. Perhaps it's time for me to write a letter to the local paper in order to get the thing removed. I'm all in favour of tougher policing but indiscriminately punishing a man with a white stick who is no harm to anyone isn't going to do them any favours.