Reply to: Sadiq Khan

[original PM]

I read an answer on Quora about the murder rate in the US compared to other nations and when analysed by ethnicity the rates were very modest in the US but the majority of murder was of black origin and although very high still compared favourably with the equivalent black crime statistics for other countries. Is the knife crime in London when broken down by ethnicity disproportionate for one particular group? If so is the PC brigade hindering the possible solutions and causing unnecessary angst among the other groups?

Knife crime is nearly exclusively a black gang community crime - because they cannot get hold of guns/better weaponry

What you are seeing is just a watered down version of the LA gang scene.

Add in the fact that someone in the community will always be protecting the perpetrators of this crime whilst blaming society/the police/racist white man then whoever is trying to solve this is on a hiding to nothing.

[tazdevil]

Males are disproportionately more likely to murder. What do you propose should be done about that?

True and therefore policy should target that fact rather than pretend we're all equally likely to commit the deed.

[vetran]

From April the UK can give them each a free support unicom to keep them on the straight and narrow.

or they can be gang raped like they do in Germany!

[shaunbhoy]

Males are disproportionately more likely to murder. What do you propose should be done about that?

Just accept it.

It is nature.

HTH

[Old Greg]

I read an answer on Quora about the murder rate in the US compared to other nations and when analysed by ethnicity the rates were very modest in the US but the majority of murder was of black origin and although very high still compared favourably with the equivalent black crime statistics for other countries. Is the knife crime in London when broken down by ethnicity disproportionate for one particular group? If so is the PC brigade hindering the possible solutions and causing unnecessary angst among the other groups?

Males are disproportionately more likely to murder. What do you propose should be done about that?

[tazdevil]

I read an answer on Quora about the murder rate in the US compared to other nations and when analysed by ethnicity the rates were very modest in the US but the majority of murder was of black origin and although very high still compared favourably with the equivalent black crime statistics for other countries. Is the knife crime in London when broken down by ethnicity disproportionate for one particular group? If so is the PC brigade hindering the possible solutions and causing unnecessary angst among the other groups?

[shaunbhoy]

Tribal warfare - and no-one has got the balls to call it what it is.

Apart from me of course.

And even then you won't stop licking them!!!

[DaveB]

Just shows the tulip state of affairs that this country is at the moment. Knife crime could be addressed very quickly if there was the legal and political will:

- massive fines for retailers selling knives to people who looked under 25. Why is booze checked but not knives?

They are, and it is an offence to sell a knife to an underage person with penatiies of fines and up to 2 years in jail depending on the offence. Most retailers use the Challenge 24 standard.

- no second chances, no understanding, get caught with a knife in a public place and it's a minimum of 18months in prison.

Possesion already carries a penalty of up to 4 years.

- get caught using a knife in a violent event then its a minimum ten stretch.

GBH - the usual charge for knife related incidents not resulting in a death is up to life, usual range is 10-16 years on conviction.
Murder is life.

Increased sentances have not proved to be a deterrent either in the UK or elsewhere.

Dancing around the issue won't sort it. I know folks will say there's no police on the ground etc. but I have seen several people being refused entry to venues for carrying knives. In such situations enforce police attendance, allow bouncers to restrain instead of just saying "not tonight lads" for them to wander to the next venue.

Just ******* deal with people harshly to make them think twice. Surely that shouldn't take ten years!

Stump up the cash for additional policing, comunity services, coordinated joint efforts, train end equip bouncers to deal with it, pay them enough to take the risk of tackeling someone with a knife etc. and it could happen. Will still take 10 years plus based on the experiences in Glasgow and New York.

[New Modeller Army]

Just shows the tulip state of affairs that this country is at the moment. Knife crime could be addressed very quickly if there was the legal and political will:

- massive fines for retailers selling knives to people who looked under 25. Why is booze checked but not knives?
- no second chances, no understanding, get caught with a knife in a public place and it's a minimum of 18months in prison.
- get caught using a knife in a violent event then its a minimum ten stretch.

Dancing around the issue won't sort it. I know folks will say there's no police on the ground etc. but I have seen several people being refused entry to venues for carrying knives. In such situations enforce police attendance, allow bouncers to restrain instead of just saying "not tonight lads" for them to wander to the next venue.

Just ******* deal with people harshly to make them think twice. Surely that shouldn't take ten years!

Yus indeed. Crack down on the low level stuff and coming down on them like a ton of bricks is an approach that has shown to be effective in the past. Litter dropping, graffiti, drunk and disorderly behaviour etc.

[fatJock]

Just shows the tulip state of affairs that this country is at the moment. Knife crime could be addressed very quickly if there was the legal and political will:

- massive fines for retailers selling knives to people who looked under 25. Why is booze checked but not knives?
- no second chances, no understanding, get caught with a knife in a public place and it's a minimum of 18months in prison.
- get caught using a knife in a violent event then its a minimum ten stretch.

Dancing around the issue won't sort it. I know folks will say there's no police on the ground etc. but I have seen several people being refused entry to venues for carrying knives. In such situations enforce police attendance, allow bouncers to restrain instead of just saying "not tonight lads" for them to wander to the next venue.

Just ******* deal with people harshly to make them think twice. Surely that shouldn't take ten years!

[Eirikur]

Watched 5-mins of Victoria Derbyshire on BBC2 - they where discussing this violence in London with community leaders and ex-gang members.

The lack of ideas of how to solve this issue was pretty apparent, one women suggested consequence cards. So young people can understand the consequences of carrying a knife!

Give them Pokemon cards, they can battle it out using these

[woohoo]

Watched 5-mins of Victoria Derbyshire on BBC2 - they where discussing this violence in London with community leaders and ex-gang members.

The lack of ideas of how to solve this issue was pretty apparent, one women suggested consequence cards. So young people can understand the consequences of carrying a knife!

[Zigenare]

If it's dealers killing dealers, society wins; if it's basic gang warfare, it just makes place more dangerous. Either way, your logic is crap.

Tribal warfare - and no-one has got the balls to call it what it is.

Apart from me of course.

[LondonManc]

That is due to lack of Police and high house prices meaning the young see drug dealing as their only chance of being able to afford a property.

If it's dealers killing dealers, society wins; if it's basic gang warfare, it just makes place more dangerous. Either way, your logic is crap.

[DaveB]

Better still, scratch that and get a Giuliani.

Still took over 10 years and required a huge amount of effort and investment from multiple agencies.

How New York Became Safe: The Full Story: A citywide effort, involving many agencies and institutions, helped restore order. | City Journal