This has already been mentioned, but there is a huge difference between a "reason" and an "excuse". As someone who has been sober for a number of years, I run up against this misconception a lot when I try to discuss alcoholism with people who have never been seriously affected by it, and even with people who have been. If there are alternatives to take, and a person chooses not to do so, it's pretty mad NOT to hold them responsible for it. Especially with drugs and alcohol. There are alternatives out there. Extremely difficult, but they are THERE. Their "reason" for their behavior doesn't give them an "excuse" for their actions. The flipside to this, of course, is community support. People can bitch at the liberals all they want about the useless and paralyzing "victim" mentality, I certainly do, but without proper support, you're taking away these "victims" chance to help themselves. In effect, you're giving them an excuse... "There was no where for me to turn to, I couldn't get the help I needed..." It's a crap situation all around, but I've met many, many people who have turned their crack addicted lives around to truly amazing and inspirational results, and there's no. way. in. hell. these people could have done it without the social programs in place that make EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE rehab programs and outpatient support possible for people who can't afford it. I have no clue about the UK, but in the US these programs are somewhat a rarity. California is one of the more liberal states, afaik most places don't have them in place. Of course, don't ask me about the ratio of people who have turned their lives around to the people who pop in and out until they turn up dead from a shooting or OD, but it's still the most promising way around. Anyways, just because a person has an reason for being in their situation, that doesn't mean they have an excuse, and it certainly doesn't mean they shouldn't be held responsible. Any victim, whether it's the old lady being mugged on the street, or the little kid born addicted to cocaine, or even his mother, who can't put down her crack habit, has a responsibility to do something about their situation. It's just important for everyone else to be there to give them the best opportunity to do something about it. And if they don't... yeah. They gotta be somewhere where their own disinclination to help themselves won't be harming the rest of us. Heh, yeah, sorry to rant and ramble. First post btw, just read your book and I've spent the last week going through the archives, can't get enough. Thanks Tom!