tackling knife crime
Categories: Other
The BBC coverage interviewed a couple of teenagers from Lewisham who answered the question “why do you carry a knife?” with: “I’m never naked, I need to protect myself…you need a knife for situations…if there was no beef you wouldn’t need one, but you need to be able to show people what time it is..” Another 13 year old said he sometimes carried a knife because “lots of people want to kill me.”
The mother of a boy who lost his life by being stabbed was interviewed and she finished off by saying “young people need to be taught the value of human life…they can’t just go around sticking knives in people….they need to learn we all have value.”
Sir Al Aynsley-Green said on BBC Breakfast: “There is a balance here. On the one hand for young people to feel safer by having the presence of the police - but on the other hand making sure the new powers don’t create further antagonism by increased stopping and searching. These are very contentious and I certainly support the case for much more research on the effects of these policies on them.”
He also said that young people should be seen as part of the solution rather than part of the problem.
A local youth worker, Nathan John, was interviewed and said of young knife-carriers: “If they don’t carry a knife they know someone else is. They can’t be defenceless…I know that’s a problem - but until we make them all realise they have to get rid of all their guns and knives we won’t find a solution to this problem.”
London’s deputy mayor for young people held a summit yesterday at City Hall to discuss the problem of knife crime among teenagers.
Ray Lewis was joined by key figures across the capital, including representatives from the police, for the meeting.
So far this year 15 young people have been stabbed or shot to death in London.
On thursday the Metropolitan Police announced that since launching their anti-knife crime operation on May 13, 193 weapons had been seized and 210 young people were arrested in the capital.
Teachers TV this week feature about schools and crime, tackling gang culture. The video is really worth checking out here.
As students at Kingsmead School in Hackney often witness violence on the local estate, school staff talk to them about their experiences and discuss any fears they may have. At Kidbrooke Secondary School in south London, they use video projects as a way to express their feelings.
Crimestoppers UK is kick-starting a pilot in three East London schools to help tackle knife crime.
For the first time mobile phone users will be able to give information on crime anonymously by text message to a dedicated Crimestoppers number. The initiative is to be piloted in three Tower Hamlets schools.
Michael Gordon-Gibson, Crimestoppers UK bureau manager, said text messaging was a good way for young people to pass on crime details.
“We’re confident this pilot will be a success and plan to roll out to schools across London following it, with a view to a nationwide rollout in the near future,” he said. “This initiative is a great way to enable us to work with young people and encourage them to join our fight against crime.”
i though the c4 stuff on this was excellent. basically the guy interviewed said
” forget amnesty, we need to be conivince we don’t need knives”
these are the reasons they gave for needing knives
Safety- you carry you are safe
Belonging- you are part of a gang you belong
Significance- self worth by being in a gang
interestingly these are the three core values, Neil Anderson outlines in the Freedom in Christ material, that we miss when not in a relatioship with GOd
When asked whether he was afraid to die he said
“nah, i don’t want to die, but i’m not afraid of it”