Should parents be held more accountable to tackle teenage knife crime?

[Gotthatbigpenergy]

Hi all,

I wanted to share an idea I’ve been thinking about to help tackle teenage knife crime, and I’d love to hear your thoughts.

In the US, there have been recent cases where parents were charged after their children committed school shootings because they failed to lock up their guns properly. This got me thinking about whether we should adopt a similar approach here in the UK when it comes to knife crime.

My suggestion is this: for children under 16, parents should be held responsible for ensuring their kids don’t have unsupervised access to knives. If a child leaves the house, parents should make sure all knives are secured—whether that means reducing the number of knives in the home or locking sharp knives away in a safe box.

Parents need to take responsibility for the children they are raising and the environments they are creating at home. By implementing stricter rules around knife access, we might reduce the risk of these weapons ending up in the wrong hands.

Of course, this shouldn’t just be about punishment or blame. The government should also step in by increasing funding for early intervention services for families, so parents and teachers can get help if they feel they’re losing control of a child. We need to tackle this issue at its root by supporting struggling families and identifying warning signs early.

https://apnews.com/article/james-crumbley-jennifer-crumbley-oxford-school-shooting-e5888f615c76c3b26153c34dc36d5436

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9wj0vyl8xko.amp

Yes, poor parenting can often be partly the cause of teen knife crime but not always in ways that can be prosecuted. Mostly just life circumstances which haven't been handled well but are hard to define in law.
Eg single parent works shifts meaning the kid is left to their own devices a lot leaving them vulnerable to negative outside influences (gangs). No court is going to prosecute the parent because they didn't spend enough time with the child in this situation.
Or maybe the single parent escaped a domestic abuse situation. Teen child is a victim of trauma themselves and living with a parent who understandably struggles with supporting them through it, again leaving them vulnerable to gang influence or feeling like they need a knife for protection. The parent at fault is the one who caused the trauma in the first place, but they are likely already in prison or have disappeared somewhere and won't/ can't be prosecuted.
The only way the parent if a perpetrator of knife crime should / could be prosecuted is if they knew the person had a knife on them with the intent to commit a specific crime but didn't stop or report them. Even that isn't always possible.

Tackling knife crime properly would mean tacking the causes - poverty, lack of mental health support and awareness amongst teenagers, promotion of alternative ways for teens to get the sense of belonging being in with a group of violent people might give them. Also the need for protection that carrying a knife brings - why do kids feel they need it and how do we change their minds? Probably lots of other social issues contribute as well. Basically, it's not a problem which can be solved by prosecuting parents after the fact. Look at and solve / reduce the impact of reasons kids fall into gang culture - but that is a long term goal where even effective efforts won't show results immediately.

I’m always in their room because we’re living in temporary, overcrowded accommodation, so space is tight. My sons share a room with their 9-year-old sister, and we also have the tumble dryer in there. They keep their room tidy, but I’m constantly spring-cleaning or reorganizing. Just this half-term, I went through everything in their room while moving things around, including their school bags to find their PE kits. I also do all their laundry, so I know exactly what’s going on in their lives.

I’m living through the challenges of temporary accommodation and understand how poverty and difficult living conditions can affect families. That’s why I’m extra cautious. My children have only recently started going out on their own because this area is so dangerous. Before, if they wanted to go somewhere, I would either take them or drop them off and pick them up. Even now, when they go out to play football or visit friends in the area we used to live, I’m constantly worried and always make sure I know exactly where they are.

I had my kids young, and I’ve learned from my own experiences. My mum let me come and go as I pleased, but I’m raising my children differently because I know what’s out there. Parents need to take responsibility, and the excuse that a child "fell in with the wrong crowd" or was "out of control" isn’t good enough—especially when lives are being lost.

I know some people don’t agree with my ideas, but I’m genuinely trying to think of solutions to tackle knife crime. If others feel my suggestions wouldn’t work, then what would you suggest?

I bet you a million that you do not know what your DC are up to every minute of the day. And what mischief they are planning to do with their friends.

If you wish, yes parents should be responsible if they buy their DC a machete or sword and then go off to harm / kill someone... but the chopping knife from your kitchen? Nope.

The only thing you can do is, to teach your DC to choose their friends wisely and be confident in themselves, but even that is not bullet proof.

As an other poster said: Address the root cause - poverty, grooming, mental health concerns -

I understand that some parents may not always be able to keep an eye on their children, especially if they’re working odd shifts or juggling multiple jobs. But this is exactly why I suggested that early intervention services need to be properly funded and accessible.

It’s not just about holding parents accountable—it’s about giving families the support they need before things spiral out of control. If a parent is struggling due to work commitments or other challenges, there should be resources available to help identify and address issues early on.

We can’t keep waiting until it’s too late, blaming gangs or "the wrong crowd" after the damage is done. I think intervention services could make a real difference in supporting both children and parents

No. Absolutely not.

Punishing and penalising parents doesn't help anything.
Families need help and support, listening ears, and education. Not threats and blame.

Move?

As an other poster said: Address the root cause - poverty, grooming, mental health concerns -

Aren't they things for parents to address? Who should be addressing these issues?

I've been saying this for ages. Not just for knife crimes. And yes, I've had teenagers. Until parents start checking their children's rooms (for knives) and what they are looking at and who they are talking to online, where they are at night etc, nothing is going to change. I know they aren't using kitchen knives, but the knives they are using that they carry on a daily basis are kept hidden at home. There is a big problem near me with young teenagers roaming the streets in the early hours breaking into cars, and trying doors to find houses to burgle. I absolutely think their parents should be held responsible. Until this happens, nothing will change.

How does a 6 year old get groomed into a gang? Is that what the mum really said?

it’s not practical- knives aren’t registered to s keeper, and you’d be expecting parents to put a lock on the dishwasher, or sit next to it while it runs.

A knife is not comparable to a gun. It's not difficult for a teen to get hold of an item of cutlery. You can't be serious

The teems involved in knife crime are not the sort to grab a knife from the kitchen drawer! The knives are perhaps purchased by adults who are themselves involved in crime. You seem to be living in cloud cuckoo land.

Like shit I was a teen mum (15) and there's people out there who think that's the fault of the parents too and they should be "held to account too". There's probably even threads on this site about it
There's pretty much nothing my parents could of done to stop me short of locking me up like Rapunzel. Peers have a bigger influence on that age group then parents

It is also easy to say that parents need to have more control over their kids and that services need to do more. Where is this army of tough talking professionals who are able to control unruly teens going to come from? Try stopping an unruly teen from leaving or doing something.

OP .. I just need to say that your circumstances sound very difficult.. you are parenting your children wonderfully .

Have you ever lived in a council property on a low income? How simple do you think it is to just move?

But there should be intervention before they become out of control teenagers. There are signs.

It depends. When we are talking about 17 year old young men - parents have nothing to do with it. But last year there was a stabbing by two 12 year old boys, who have attacked a vulnerable man in a sports field, and a number of other instances where offenders were not older than 14. At such a young age parents definitely should be held accountable.

I suggest, early intervention on failing etc parents. Lower threshholds for SS. More parenting classes etc for parents who aren't parenting. Better funded SEN provision, inclusion doesn't work for every child, have alternatives. Affordable gym etc memberships for young people. End austerity, invest in housing. Have population plans, as in what is sustainable.

OP - it sounds like you’re doing an amazing job in difficult circumstances, but perhaps you can see how some parents may be defeated by their circumstances.

In my professional life, I see a lot of these young people vulnerable to grooming and they usually have SEND. Support services have failed them, early intervention has failed them. Parents are exhausted and often unable to cope. Sometimes it may be because they are not the greatest parents, but often also because they struggle. It’s not a level playing field for children. Some parents just can’t keep their children in at night, some can’t keep them in school, some struggle to keep their own MH on a level keel.

I wish it was as simple as you suggest, but it does sound like you are doing a great job.

How can my neighbours move from Liverpool to somewhere leafy and fairly drug free? Wales is out, Liverpool gangs control, Wales, Cheshire, Torquay etc. So Hampshire etc would do it.

You can buy two knives likes swords for £25 off the internet. Locking up kitchen knives won’t make any difference

Invest back in the youth service with trained youth workers. I used to work with two trained youth workers in a summer scheme - lots of activities put on and we took them. It’s all gone now thanks to cuts.
Early help, parenting support, early intervention, SEND support, alternative provision, vocational education rather than forcing everyone through GCSEs.
Invest in social services so it attracts the right people and stop demonising it so that parents see it as a support rather than you’ll take my child away.

OP, kindly, you're delusional.

You can be stabbed to death with a bicycle spoke or a broken bottle. Knives can be found EVERYWHERE.

This idea is just nonsense.

No, but taking an interest in them and providing them with a life with interests might deter them from thinking this is fun.