Many an exasperated parent has told their misbehaving child to be good or the police will put them in prison.
許多父母惱怒時都曾這樣警告調皮的孩子——要聽話，不然會被警察抓進監獄。

But now one police force has issued a poster urging adults not to use this common – if ever so slightly cruel – threat.
現在英國一家警署發布海報，敦促父母不要再使用這種有點殘忍的威脅。

Instead Durham Constabulary wants children to be friendly with officers and go to them with their problems rather than be fearful of them.
相反，杜倫警署希望孩子們能對警察抱有友好的態度，有問題時向警察尋求幫助而不是害怕他們。

The campaign reads: ‘Parents. Please don’t tell your children that we will take them off to jail if they are bad. We want them to run to us if they are scared, not be scared of us. Thank You.’
宣傳語寫道：“父母們，請不要告訴你們的孩子，如果他們犯了錯就會被我們抓進監獄。我們希望當他們害怕的時候能跑向我們尋求幫助，而不是害怕我們。謝謝。”

However, the poster received mixed reviews online after it was posted on Facebook. Jeff Rowse said: ‘Telling them they will go to jail if they are bad is wrong how? Surely that is the major reason for having a police force? And jails?’
但這幅海報被傳上臉譜網后引發了網民的爭議。杰夫·羅斯說：“告訴孩子如果他們做錯事就會進監獄，這哪里錯了？這難道不是設置警察機構和監獄的主要理由嗎？

Paul Parry was more supportive, writing: ‘Telling a three-year-old that if he doesn’t eat his dinner the policeman will come and take him to jail isn’t true and will only serve to instil fear into that child.’
保羅·帕里則更支持海報的說法，他寫道：“對一個三歲的小孩說，如果他不吃飯警察就會把他抓進監獄。這樣做是錯誤的，只會讓孩子更害怕?！?/p>

But he added: ‘The police shouldn’t be used to reinforce bad parenting.’
他補充道：“警察不應該成為不當教養的道具?！?/p>

The unnamed traffic policeman who features in the poster said: ‘I am flattered by the attention it has received but at the heart of this is a very important message.
拍攝海報的無名交警說：“因為這則海報我受到了很多關注，受寵若驚，但關鍵的還是海報傳達的信息。”

‘Children should be taught from an early age that if they feel like are in danger and they need help they can approach an officer who will reassure them. '
“在孩子小時候就應教導他們，有困難找警察?！?/p>

'I would hate to think that parents are telling their kids that we will take them to jail if they are naughty ... we’re not that scary.’
“我很討厭父母告訴他們的孩子如果調皮就會被警察抓進監獄……我們沒那么可怕?！?/p>

Vocabulary

exasperated 惱怒的

（英文來源：每日電訊報 譯者：梁玉嫦SCNU 編輯：彭娜）