When I was young a mobile was the size (and weight) a large housebrick.

From experience I'd have to say that it is genuinely worse, at least in the area I live. 20 years ago someone being nicked for drunk-driving was front page news and any street violence resulted in a 2 page in-depth report. Now every week the front page is filled with multiple reports of muggings and and assaults and the town has taken on the look of an inner city ghetto with extensive graffiti (mostly tags, no arty stuff) and general vandalism.

I assume the local hacks back in the '80s weren't turning a blind eye, so the frequency and level of street violence is definitely *much* worse.