UK Stabbings - Knives Out

Knife crime hits all-time high across England and Wales

UK Stabbings - Knives Out Knife crime has hit an all time high in England and Wales, reaching 43,000 offences last year. With social media and poverty fuelling the rise, some demand the government declare a national emergency.
In a country with strict gun laws, the majority of gang violence comes from young people carrying knives or other sharp objects. Sharon Kendall's eighteen-year-old son Jason was cut down by four men carrying machetes. "He got caught and was stabbed eight times", she says. The debate over the causes has exposed cultural divides, with some blaming rap culture and others pointing to reduced investments in policing and youth centres. "The best way of reducing violence in your community is to raise social standards to provide people with employment, to help them find hope", claims Niven Renne, Director of the Violence Reduction Unit in Glasgow, which has cut its violent crime rate by half in the last 15 years. Social media has provided new challenges, with some saying it encourages aggression amongst young people, targeting the vulnerable. "They have an audience that says "fight!", "Have a conflict!", claims criminologist Craig Pinkey. Some fear that violence is now just a fact of life for young people in many communities. "People are so used to it. It's not normal. We're born to live", says charity worker Stephen Graham.
FULL SYNOPSIS

This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. For more info see our Cookies Policy