Opinion | Editorials
Fight the menace of 'knife culture'
Britain should clamp down on crimes involving knives, especially among youth.
- Gulf News
- Published: 23:14 July 5, 2008
British politicians, fond of sound bytes, have introduced the horrifying phrase "knife culture".
It is in regard to the dramatic increase in crime involving knives, especially among youth. There have been 18 teenagers stabbed to death this year, a figure which obviously excludes adults.
Allegedly, the police say they are powerless to do anything to reduce the number of crimes.
Certainly it is very difficult for police to know who is carrying a knife, especially when devious attempts are made by both boys - and girls - to hide the fact.
The police know that if a youth cannot buy a knife or get one from a friend it will be stolen, often from the kitchen drawer. But the police are not quite powerless.
If a "culture" is surfacing, then it is time for police, psychologists, psychiatrists, sociologists, teachers, parents and welfare institutions to unite to fight the spread of this form of crime.
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