Dossier

Higher Knife Crime Sentence

1. Introduction to Higher Knife Crime Sentence

Not so long ago, It used to be that you could walk out of your own home and feel safe around the people that surrounded you, whether it is the people that lived next to you or the people that walked down the same street as you. People didn’t have to worry about gangs on street corners who might be in the mood to steal your belongings or worry about hooded teenagers hanging around the estate. As you look around, you can see how people have changed, and why the public have every right to worry every time they step out of their own door.

Unfortunately, as times change and the world modernizes, so do people and the way they act and think. For some reason, in this modern day and age it has come near commodity for people in ‘gangs’ or young teenagers to feel the need to protect themselves. This protection comes in the form of knifes and has paved the way for a country who, every other week, hears of a news story where a young victim has been stabbed to death simply for looking at someone the ‘wrong way’ or even just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It’s plain and simple. Instead of people stepping outside their front door and worrying whether it’s going to rain; they are worrying about what might happen to them if they walk past that group of kids, and even worse, what do they have hidden inside their jacket pocket.

Here are a few statistics on Knife crime from the metropolitan police website which shows that amounts of crimes that have taken place which were knife enabled.

Recorded knife enabled offences in London account for about 2% of total recorded crime. It might not sound a lot but that is 2% too high on our eyes and too the family who’s loved one’s have been taken away by those who thinks it’s acceptable to carry a knife around with them. London Boroughs with the highest rates of knife crime include Newham, Southwark, Hackney, Islington, Waltham Forest and Lambeth.

One of the reasons we feel knife crime is still happening is because of the low sentences that criminals face if they are caught with a knife, but also the abysmal jail sentences people face if they stab, and or kill another person. A staggering four out of five people caught carrying a knife avoid jail sentences. On average only 25 per cent of all possession offences result in only a caution, meaning 1,706 knife criminals were let off with a warning. Only 21 per cent of all possession cases resulted in custody, or 1,386 cases. Some 11 per cent of offenders escaped with a suspended sentence and 27 per cent a community sentence. I’m sure some thug isnt going to stop carrying his knife just because he had to do 100 hours community service of clearing up rubbish?

When looking up cases related to knife crimes and murders, on average the criminal only got three years sentence. Not a fair call, seeing as they took someone else’s life?

This is why we want to take action against this issue and make the sentence for knife crimes higher; whether that is carrying a knife and/or using it. We as a group feel that if there was a definite jail sentence for carrying a knife, then many people would stop carrying them. We also feel that the sentence for stabbing someone to death should be more than three years like some other cases; it just should be at least 25 years, or even life. They will make people stop and think before they take their knife out with them.

We feel that the fear of going to jail will stop people taking knifes out with them meaning less innocent people are getting hurt, and killed, on a near daily basis. If a person knows they are going to avoid a jail sentence for carrying a knife, then of course they are going to carry one. If a person knows they are going to only get a three year, or less, sentence in jail for stabbing someone then of course they aren’t going to think twice about using their knife when someone looks at them the ‘wrong way’ or pisses them off.

We have therefore created a group on facebook called ‘Higher Knife Crime Sentence Campaign’ which will act as a petition. People can like this group, if they agree with what we are doing, and will mean that they will be added to the petition. We are hoping many people will join this group as it will mean people can grow up in a safer environment and not be scared when they walk the streets. I feel this is for a favorable cause and many people will be on our side when we say that criminals should get what they deserve and spend the right amount of time in jail for something they done so terribly wrong.

2. Key Facts

 Insight security 

http://www.insight-security.com/facts-knife-crime-stats.htm#Statistics - the numbers

Police record 1/3rd of violent crimes as a "No Crime" (BBC News 22nd October 2009)

In the latest review of recorded police incidents it has been identified that many violent crimes are being recorded under the heading of "No Crime".

Although the findings are based on investigations in just a small sample of the UKs police forces, it is believed that as many as 33% of violent crimes nationwide are being misclassified.

It appears that the violent crimes in question that are being classified as "No Crimes", are those where no charges are brought the perpetrator. It is however obviously misleading to classify a violent attack where the victim ends up requiring stitches as a No Crime - after all it did happen and someone was injured!

The government have promised a review.

The Home Office has committed £18m of funding for 2011-2013 to support the police, local agencies and the voluntary sector to tackle knife, gun and gang-related violence and prevent young people entering a cycle of crime.

 Home Office 

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime/knife-gun-gang-youth-violence / 

The funding will support enforcement and prevention work by police in three knife crime hotspot areas. It will sit alongside positive activities for young people and local work to bring about long-term changes in attitudes and behaviours. The money includes up to:

£3.75m for the three police forces areas where more than half of the country’s knife crime occurs – London, Manchester and the West Midlands

£4m for local voluntary organisations across England and Wales working with young people to stop involvement in knife and gang violence

£10m for prevention and diversionary activities and engagement with young people at risk of becoming involved in crime, including knife related violence

£250,000 for one further year of the Ben Kinsella fund for young people to run anti-knife crime projects in their local area.

The funding will run from April 2011 to March 2013, when police and crime commissioners will be in place.

Why these facts mean something has to change?

These facts highlight the government is spending money on tackling knife crime issues but it is not being used correctly or being channelled to the right organizations. The building of youth centres does not in any way eliminate the potential of knife crime.

4. How could change happen?

''' Which individuals and organisations could effect change? '''

The Home Office are able to increase funding into the prevention of knife crime, however, they have already announced that they will be spending £18m over the next two years to try and combat knife crime.

It is the government who have the authority to change the laws on knife crime. Mr David Burrowes is the local MP; it would be him that would need to take it to government to get it changed.

· ''' How can you put pressure on them? '''

As an MP he will be wanting to get votes off of the public, knife crime is a big thing to many people, so it is in the interest of the people who will be voting for him. By showing that a lot of people are supporting this campaign, it will pressure him into supporting it too.

· ''' What methods would be best to use to bring that about? '''

Showing facts and statistics, such as the amount of people getting reduced sentences, comparing the sentences of knife crimes with other crimes and past cases of knife crimes.

PanayiotisapostolouMDX 20:30, April 28, 2011 (UTC)

KeelyMcAlesterMDX 11:37, February 22, 2011 (UTC)

Mattcrennell 11:25, May 8, 2011 (UTC)