Knife Crime UK - What's going on?

5 Arrested For Teenage Murder

Yet another teenage stabbed to death here in London. The question I want to ask is:

What the hell is going on here?

Me and my dad talk about this a lot; what we reckon the causes are etc, and it is really hard to pin it down. I live in London myself (and I know it's happening all over Britain), but we've already had 13 knife murders this year just in London, with recently 4 deaths in 4 days.

It's claimed to be an epidemic, and it really has gotten out of control. Knife crime is now the number one concern for Met police - it has even overtaken terrorism.

What do you guys reckon is going on here?

Ignorant people will sometimes display ignorant behavior.

I've had over a hundred knives in my possession at one time or another and not once did one of them find their way into another Human.

Get rid of knives, and people will just use big forks.

I think we need to do a better job of educating people in the apparently lost Art of, 'Treating others, as you wish to be treated'

[edit on 6-7-2008 by FewWorldOrder]

[edit on 6-7-2008 by FewWorldOrder]

I think we have allowed the liberal voice to preach for so long about right and not responsabilities....and too many blind eyes turned to problems.

In the Uk guns are hard to get ..unless you know someone that knows someone,,,but a knife can be picked up in the kitchen or bought on the interenet..

If anyone has had a knife pulled on them you will understandhow scary that is...and the kids know that these days...so they dig someone,,,what the worst that can happen to them ..not much really when you look at how crap the judicial system is..they know that too...and they don't give a S***for you life ...far too de sensitised from computer games and gang culture!! ( I think a lot of that "Gangsta " culture came from the good ole US OF A ..) But its here...and these kids are breeding kids with even less morality..

Is there a solution...yes of course there is..but that takes time..it took time to get to this stage and it will take generations to get out of this..

There is not the rescources to give an an alternative ..and the people and politicians do not have the guts nor intelligence..to stamp this out...

To be honest I would say its just media,

Stabbing has been happening like this for a long time, many do not get media coverage; really it’s nothing new at all. Just we are hearing about it allot more,

It is a problem, and one that has to be addressed but I fear that there is no real way to combat this situation,

I believe media coverage is making this a whole lot worse, More kids will carry them now for the fear that they may get attacked by other kids with them, They feel the need to defend themselves,

The media need to start thinking, and the police need to get harsher,

Hopefully this fad will start to fall soon,
just my Opinion ...


[edit on 6-7-2008 by asala]

reply to post by PeaceUk


First of all you should calm down, switch off your TV and radio and go for a walk, read a book or listen to some music.

Get some perspective!

The figure they said on the radio yesterday was that there have been 18 deaths from knife crime in the last 7 months in London. THERE ARE 8 MILLION PEOPLE LIVING IN LONDON. 18 is not a high figure.

How many deaths do you think there have been in the last seven months in London from, car accidents? cancer? natural causes? Drugs? Legal drugs? Hospital bugs? KNIFE CRIME IS NOT OUT OF CONTROL.

THEY want you to think it is out of control as it gives them more reason for tagging, CCTV, Oyster card surveillance, more stop and search, more scanners, more police, more armed police - GET THE IDEA?

And you have shown in your reaction that they are creating more of what they are trying to create- FEAR.

For example in the UK in the last seven months approx 240 women have died from domestic violence -far more than knife crime on the streets and you don’t see headlines about that every day. The actual figures for knife crime has DECREASED in the last three years. They want you to think it is increasing to control you.

And if you are interested in knife crime stories try this one - today the government have announced that they want to made it legally compulsory for all accidents with knifes that are presented at A+E to be recorded as 'Knife crime' and if the hospital doesn’t report ALL knife injuries (including kitchen related knife cuts) as 'knife crime' they can get arrested for withholding the so called 'knife crime'. All that will do is increase the official figures for knife crime and give them more to scare people like you with. And of course give them more excuses for more stricter laws which will ‘coincidently' erode more freedom of UK citizens.

And remember one thing - they selectively and subjectively CHOOSE what to report on the news - it is NOT an objective medium.

reply to post by asala


Just as I was reading your post, another stabbing has been reported on the news, in shop Niketown on oxford street.
I agree with the media thing, but the reality is that more stabbings happen than we even know. Most of it doesn't even get reported.
I believe it's a mix of media and a mix of rising knife crime which is leading to this whole situation being blown up.

reply to post by asala


I'm inclined to agree. The media make a big song and dance about knife crime, which breeds a fear of knife crime.

Now, I'm not generally one to get too paranoid (what am I doing on a conspiracy site?), but this will inevitably lead to even more CCTV cameras and the general population will welcome it.

There is no quick fix to the problem though, the current situation has been developing for years. Personally I find it extraordinary that certain individuals can somehow rationalize stabbing someone over a triviality.

It's a sad state of affairs but London's always been a fairly violent city, it's just being publicised more. I read that the cousin of one of the murdered French students said "There are slightly different cultures between here and mainland Europe. I think it's getting terrible over here. Knife crime is getting ridiculous and I know the Government are doing their best but a deterrent punishment is really the way to go." Perhaps we could do some sort of exchance system, where we send some particularly nasty criminals to get tried and punished in another country...... like Iran. That'll probably make a few people consider the consequences of their actions.

reply to post by Marsrising


Living here in London though, I have first hand experience of what is going on. Sure, the media is definitly blowing things out of proportion, but there is a problem here that needs to be dealt with.

reply to post by DenyAllKnowledge


I recently read that there has been calls to send teenagers who commit knife crime to fight in Iraq. Do you think that would work?

reply to post by PeaceUk


I don't think it's a great idea to send people with a predilection for violence into the military. Whils't the few friends I have in the armed forces are perfectly ordinary and decent people, it wouldn't be appropriate to have criminals being trained to fight..... and it certainly wouldn't be fair on Iraqi or any other nation's civilians.

Can you imagine how people like that would treat prisoners or suspects?

It's certainly getting a lot of coverage.
Even rockstar Noel Gallagher is talking about it:
Noel Gallagher on Knife Crime

reply to post by DenyAllKnowledge


It's not gonna be a solution just sending more kids to be killed either. It seems like it's engrained in oir very culture these days, it being such a widespread problem. I don't think it's so much to do with poverty as it is to do with the kid's mentality. One of the roots of this is the whole 'Gangster' idea and mentality shipped over from America. How do you battle something like that?

I started this thread realted to the topic a while back...

www.belowtopsecret.com...


I think that this is the perfect example of how useless, and even dangerous it is to ban citizens from having guns. Duh, no brainer, the criminals just pick up knives. Furthermore, the criminals are more inclined to use a knife for several reasons.

Check this out, from one of may favorite movies of all time...

(caution - language)

reply to post by shuck


Sorry about the double post!..not sure what happened there..

Know the video well..and have experienced the mentality..

"Guns for show..Knives for a pro" ...bad I know but thats the reality...

I think its the fear thing..Which is the most frightening in the worst scnenarios ,,,being shot ...or stabbed!!??

I would say the problem lies in the media's coverage, society in general and a lack of morality, knives arn't the problem its the people using them.

I cant talk for all of the UK but up here in Newcastle when two people had issues they would sort it out in a 1v1 fight...thats how something got sorted, now when people have issues whole gangs and families are involved.

If they have a gun they shoot you.
If they have a knife they stab you.
If they have neither you can expect to get your head stamped on.
If theres 20 of them and 1 of you run your arse off unless you wanna die.


These people have no morals at all, they want respect and power over people and use violence as a means to get it.

Anyone else here had to put up with this crap? One time I got a flick out cosh pulled on me for smiling, the lad thought I was laughing at him so he was ready to "cave me skull in". Same thing happened to my mate except he got stabbed in the side of the face.

I've got the feeling this is going to get a whole lot worse before it starts getting better, the only thing I feel which could stop this is making a police state, maybe thats the plan.

reply to post by Marsrising


Persoanllay I'm glad they're making a big deal of it in the media. I'm glad they're making a big deal about ALL the violent crime that's blighting lives and quality of lives these days.

Despite what some would have us think, it is not some moral panic whipped up by a hysterical media, it is something that is happening everwhere, and innocent people are dying or having their lives wrecked.

With all due respect, The same argument, that it's not that bad, has been used for years, while violent crime, of all types, has soared. It is that bad...meaning it's bad enough to be worried or scared. It can happen to anyone anywhere. And if the media are highlighting that, and getting the relevent institutions off their complacent arses to do something to address the problem then more power to them.

reply to post by Cantwara


I absolutely agree with you. We're meant to be living and enjoying a free society, but with people all over scared to even leave their homes, things are not going so great are they?

Hi guys, long time reader first post but just wanted to bring this to the table:-

news.bbc.co.uk...

knife crimes are down not up and I have to kind of agree that this is more about trying to do the same thing that has happened to the USA and control people with the media.

Dont let it get to you guys just remember you cant believe everything you read and dont get yourself worried about stuff that is really not as bad as it's made out.

Take it easy guys

John

Be glad you have gun laws. Great evil infests our kind I believe.
I am an avid police scanner listener in Cleveland Ohio. The east side after nine pm is like red hour some nights. These mutton heads pack semi auto 9's and even tech9's.
Mostly drug dealers protecting turf. Sad, does not even begin.
The big thing now is looters hacking out copper plumbing from foreclosed homes. And siding ripoffs.
What recession?

I just thought of an interesting theory.

Ready?

OK here it goes:

it's a city.