Pitcairn has failed to regulate itself, so now authority is moving in. We are desperate for someone to do it for us. We want a super-parent who will sort it all out. When things go wrong, we blame the state. We are so childish ourselves, it's no wonder we can't manage our kids.
Kids are all instinct and intensity.
They are sexual, too. It is our job to teach them the value of civilisation and self-control. I am talking about the delicate balance between feeling and expression that is the urgent task of every society. History shows us the swings we make to control ourselves. Sometimes society is repressive - then the inevitable reaction sets in and society is permissive.