In Britain we have always had a curious way of distancing ourselves, from the real reasons behind crimes. We label crimes against the person as evil, terrible and at times we are lost as to what we can actually do about them.

Should we dish out light sentences and release dangerous people back into the community, should we truly desire to give opportunities to people able of and guilty of, committing truly horrific crimes against the person some grace towards being rehabilitated. Is it not money wasted, maybe they'd repeat the offence and become adjusted to another life inside?

Recently I find myself worried about the rising number of stabbings, fatal stabbings, I am curious what a recent knife amnesty might possibly achieve.
Many fatal stabbings are committed by people utilising everyday kitchen ware knives not the exotic. That's not saying that daggers, Samuri swords etc haven't been used to kill, but the likelihood is that the most dangerous weapon lies in your kitchen.

The latest victim Anne Marie Cuffy lies fighting for her life this week end. An amnesty won't do her any good. In my own city this week gone not far from my regular town centre bar, a 26 year old mother of three was stabbed whilst at work. She is now dead.

We can't not try can we, to fail in encouraging tougher sentences that must be served without any remission?

Many of these stabbings have been committed by people below the age of 20, in newspaper editorial speak one could say then that this crime or passion with knives is part of youth culture. I know it's another one of those big generalisations - the trouble is it happens to be true. Statistics can be made to read whatever you want of course especially if you don't want to acknowledge the truth.

Three weeks before marking the last assignments, I had my research students visit a number of local comps, the results they came back with were significant that young men below the age of 16 all know someone;-

A)who is carrying a knife,
B)have carried a knife and
C)1 out of 10 still do.

It is part of our new and developing youth culture. The carrying of a knife is significant of belonging to a group or gang likewise, a higher proportion of below 16's also, drink alcoholic drinks, and have no problem buying from shops, furthemore a similar percentage to those who carry knives have also tried drugs. But it is difficult to accept as such in the same way that people are blinded to the rise of that fourth class, I occassionally choose to mention.

Will a Knife amnesty solve the problem?

Where should we really go from here?

If ignored, how much bigger will the problem get if alcohol drugs and knives become a lethal a combination?

Maureen
Northern angel.

I actually started a thread about this in the news section. Unfortunately it didnt get many replies.

I actually started a thread about this in the news section. Unfortunately it didnt get many replies.

Hello Bonsai,

I thought I'd seen something briefly and then it disappeared. I'll take another look through news.

It's a frightening subject aswell as being controversial.

Maureen
Northern angel.

or is it the rising number of knife crimes that the papers write about, being a topical subject?

the rising number of media outlets, 24 hour news, internet clips, cctv footage helps to portray a violent culture as that is what makes good news.

it could be that teenagers are arming themselves based on perception and not reality

one chap who was stabbed recently (by his neighbour over 40p) was ****ed and had been boozing on a tuesday lunchtime (and was unemployed) - i think, in that case, there was a little bit more to it than just the rise of knife culture etc

its the news story this week but next week it will be the world cup and knives will be nowhere

or is it the rising number of knife crimes that the papers write about, being a topical subject?

the rising number of media outlets, 24 hour news, internet clips, cctv footage helps to portray a violent culture as that is what makes good news.

it could be that teenagers are arming themselves based on perception and not reality

one chap who was stabbed recently (by his neighbour over 40p) was ****ed and had been boozing on a tuesday lunchtime (and was unemployed) - i think, in that case, there was a little bit more to it than just the rise of knife culture etc

its the news story this week but next week it will be the world cup and knives will be nowhere

Hello Isle of Weather,

Yes there is such a thing as the media creating the news, so that we get a false perception over how much a particular crime is prevalent. We can also get a false perception of youth.
Yet they also report on a percentage of truth. These crimes didn't just figure in someones imagination they did happen.

A walk around an impoverished neighbourhood can be a daunting and educational experience. Insurance companies are a prime example of how crime rates affect insurance premiums according to your post code rather than the total number of claims.

The teaching profession would like to see a number of issues resolved regarding drugs and knife crimes, as a rising number of them have become victims of such. For them the issue is real.

So knife crimes are the hot topic of the moment, and yes over the next month the hottest topic may well be, the world cup.

In relation to your case of a drunk being robbed of 40p by a neighbour and subsequently stabbed.

Are you falling into that trap which tells us that because of a pregiven disposition he became a likely victim of a crime?

Because if so than anyone who goes out gets drunk renders themself in such a risk category. This could be taken a step further to say that if you have been to the cinema for a film and you are walking home, you are placing yourself in the shoes of a being a possible victim. This is also criminological area of research the police have only just started looking at in the last 10 years, it has been labelled Victimology, and sadly I personally think its the wrong way to go.

Hey, I'm sorry you know you look like you may be a victim of a crime about to be perpetrated - and theres only one thing you can do to prevent it. Sell your home and all your possessions making sure you give all your money away, dress in rags and become a hermit.

Time to reclaim the streets, I think. Design out crime get some proper policing.

Maureen
Northern angel.

its a class thing and an education thing. look at social demographics and it will tell a familiar tale.

its a class thing and an education thing. look at social demographics and it will tell a familiar tale.

Hello again Isle of Weather,

Sadly, how true this is. In addition, to say that an increase in knife related crimes has become evident in recent years, is the worrying fact that some of them may well be racially motivated and habit forming.

By this I mean Jamaicans or Brazilians from poor economic groups, may well be accustomed to knife carrying in there own countries whether it be legal there or not and expect to do the same here.

Therefore adding another aspect into the cauldron on knife crime and gangland warfare. A Westside Story scenario in Britain. Frightening.

Maureen
Northern angel.

Mo, a lot of afro-caribbean youths are second/third generation British now!

Mo, a lot of afro-caribbean youths are second/third generation British now!

Hello Fee,

Also true. But it is odd how the youth cultural background is still strong, I have read many a good text books on the subject of how the Afro caribbean becomes socialised into there view of society, and its almost like reading of a race apart.

As such they feel that classical white structured society victimises them and descriminates against them. In speaking recently with a group of very jovial and colourful people, identity as a race is important. This is who we are and we can not change. They have no desire to become intergrated as one with us, instead they want all that culture brings respect and equality. This is what they feel they have not got.

As a white person with some degree of ethnicity myself, I feel that being totally objectionable to the laws of the land we live in and by commiting offences against it is the wrong way to achieving that goal of respect for who they feel they are.

Intergration is not such a bad thing. It is not annihilation and as a Brit, no other country can offer so much towards being at one with ones neighbour.

Knife carrying and gun carrying is not the way to achieving any equanamity.

Maureen
Northern angel.

By this I mean Jamaicans or Brazilians from poor economic groups, may well be accustomed to knife carrying in there own countries

Britain is their own country! And yes, cultural diversity is a factor, but some of these kids will never have been out of the UK. Your type of statement surely only adds to the feeling that classical white structured society victimises them and descriminates against them

Britain is their own country! And yes, cultural diversity is a factor, but some of these kids will never have been out of the UK. Your type of statement surely only adds to the feeling


Hello fee,

I would hope not.

As indicated this is something they feel about us whites, hence they would justify there actions to carry knives or guns as a means to stating there vulnerability within our capitalist culture. Yes you are right Cultural diversity can be a factor and again they may not have been out of the UK.

On the subject of victimisation, I do have the statistics somewhere for crime and the types of crime these ethnic groups feel they are likely to be accused of and found guilty of. I also have some details of the amount of indiscrimate labelling that applies to youth, and youth crime. Also some details in relation to youth detention and prisons.

Irrespective of the above there is cause for concern that there is an increased likelihood that knife crimes are on the rise and could become the new plague of the inner cities, it is not just the media who have realised this the judicial system and the way crimes are reported have spoken.

Maureen
Northern angel.

People who commit crimes currently have no FEAR of the consequences.

In a world where you fear the consequences of anti-social actions, the anti-social actions reduce considerably.

Oh dear, I hear the liberals crying "it is not proved". Get a life. Mental cases have no appreciation of consequences, so it has no effect, but 95% of crimes are from people who, if faced with severe consequences, would alter their course of action.

Example: When the IRA imposed knee-capping in N. Ireland for persistent criminals, crime reduced. Fact.

If you are a low-life who steals cars and you learn you get your kneecaps removed if you are caught, do you continue? 95% don't.

If you carry a knife and learn that the penalty is something painful would thay continue? Most wouldn't. Bleedin' obvious. But lets continue with the current system where there is no fear of consequence, and live with it.

Meantime, you have a much higher percentage chance of getting stabbed than otherwise. Welcome to the liberal world.

Example: When the IRA imposed knee-capping in N. Ireland for persistent criminals, crime reduced. Fact.

If you are a low-life who steals cars and you learn you get your kneecaps removed if you are caught, do you continue? 95% don't.
I'm a little surprised to see you cite the IRA as a good example of justice, and I don't believe your "fact". Northern Ireland has some of the worst car crime in the UK.

I do agree with you though that there would be much less knife-carrying if there were more random searches and stiffer sentences.