Knife crime in London

[wondering1101]

Another fatal stabbing last night - it happened at tea time they said on the news, and a 15 year old died .

I don’t know what the statistics are but well over 100 people have died since the beginning of the year.

I have three secondary school aged dc - AIBU to sometimes want to move away . Not that it’s an option.

I know that statistically the people who die are a tiny percentage of the population (not that that makes it better), but it’s the fact that knives are so commonplace now and the menace is somehow “there”. The fact that you wouldn’t get into an argument with someone on the street (not that that’s what I make a habit of doing!) because you never know what weapons they may have. And while the victims are often involved in gangs (not that that makes it better either), they by no means always are. Some people are just in the wrong place at the wrong time .

What is going to make the situation better?

How about fathers and the LACK of them and the general negative view of men propagated in the black community by black women ? So many female head households....

I think you may have got that the wrong way round. They're filling the prisons with those who commit crimes, usually repeatedly, before a custodial sentence. So perhaps what is needed is look at (demographically matched) disadvantaged group and a consideration of why they are not offending. Also looking at who doesn't join gangs, and how they can stand clear.

Interesting to note that the BMJ article covers the period 2004-14. This isn't just an issue of the coalition/Tory years. It might be connected to economic depression, so looking at policies and spending at times we think Britain is rich might be the key. Both in making Britain more shock-proof economically (not all countries were as damaged by the credit crunch) and in paying for the proper study of effective interventions and, once adequately evidenced (see 'Freakonomics').

But local schemes tend to be local council rather than central goverment, so I'll bang my usual drum of the importance of voting and taking an interest in council affairs. Councils' choices for spending priorities make a huge difference.

There is also significant chariot involvement. I hope, that when there are a lot of providers in a similar space, there is also good co-ordination.