Letter: Hit and miss
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: It is worrying to hear that senior police officers like Roy Penrose cite films as an explanation for the rise of the "hit-men" in Britain (report, 28 December). We might expect this simplistic explanation from people ignorant of the pattern of hit-man killings, or prepared to forget hit-man films going back to Jimmy Cagney. Old Mafia movies and the Krays show us that explanation is not found in Hollywood, but in the socio-economic conditions of Britain.
We have moved closer to the US in many other respects. The hit-man, like the age-structured gang and the drug territory battles, is but one facet of social exclusion and the cheapening of human life.
Perhaps the director-general of our National Crime Squad was fired up by Christmas repeats, but our interests would be better served if he addressed the real issues. I assume that he does not blame killer-cop movies for the rise in police resort to firearms?
ANDY WILSON
Mannheim Centre for Criminology
London School of Economics
London SE10
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments