HUDDERS1

every time i watch the news its stabbing, mugging, gang warfare etc. its just getting out of control i really believe that the yobs of today are not afraid of the consequences. have the government gone to soft?

DCI Gene Hunt

Yes.... but so are we, there was a time when most would challenge yobs, a couple of high profile killings soon put a stop to the have-a-go heroes out there, well most anyway

astraboy

You are being manipulated by the media. Their inflated level of self importance means they think they can effect change if they find a point and hammer it home to apply pressure to the government. I'm not saying these things arn't happening, but I for one refuse to be manipulated so I take their wind out of their sails by not watching.
astraboy.

astraboy

Exactly.
Try it for a week, dont watch the news, dont read newspapers. Read books and watch comedy instead. You will feel better for it, I guarantee it.
astraboy.

HUDDERS1

i have stopped buying papers but i for one am hearing from mates and work mates AL the time stories of neighborhood disturbances.

billyray911

iTrader: (4)

I dont know whether the current knife crime hysteria is a realistic fear or if its being pushed by the media.
Tragic stories aside,i think that these incidents happen anyway.But because the spot light is on them,it seems worse than it really is and appears to be a more regular occurrence.
Using the dangerous dog hysteria of a few years ago as an example.There will always be these incidents,however,when there is a combination of the media and government getting involved,we are all scared to go out of the door for fear of being attacked.
Crime will always be with us and unfortunately,these incidents do happen.Statistics say that knife crime is dropping.I know that they can be "massaged" in any direction,but i dont think that the hysteria relates to the actual threat.
Please dont misunderstand what i'm saying.I dont think scum roaming the streets is ok and that the death of someones loved one is acceptable,but are we being manipulated for a "good" story ?

Shark Man

Isn't these issues being pushed by the media a good thing though? It pressurises the government in dealing with it.

Thing is; if the government did something good like 1yr automatic prison for ANYONE found carrying a knife in a public place (with exceptions like being carried in a locked stoarge container - for chefs etc). Or death penalty for murderers and the press will shoot it down as against criminal's human rights etc.

PeteBrant

The BCS would suggest we aren't headed for hell in a handcart, however, the rising youth on youth violence is worrying.

billyray911

iTrader: (4)

Thing is; if the government did something good like 1yr automatic prison for ANYONE found carrying a knife in a public place (with exceptions like being carried in a locked stoarge container - for chefs etc). Or death penalty for murderers and the press will shoot it down as against criminal's human rights etc.[/QUOTE]

Its a nice idea,but it wont happen.The courts wont give proper sentences and the prisons are overflowing with no signs of more being built.
What happened to all the prison ships that were purchased in the 90's???The human rights act came in and they were deemed too harsh

boomer

There was a chappy on the news earlier today who put things into context.

Over the last few years there have been typically 300 to 350 fatal stabbings a year, which is several a week. They also tend to occur at the weekend, so multiple deaths over a couple of days is not unusual.

[set mode=cynical]However, it gives the government a chance to sound like it is trying to "make a difference" with a load of sound-bites, which the press immediately jump on to emphasise their chosen political view.

Oh, and it distracts everyone from the rising energy prices, removal of the 10% tax band, the 2p extra fuel duty, increasing deaths in Afganistan, failure of the oyster card, world economy collapsing, MPs expense fiddling, protesting truckers, striking public service employees, alternate weekly collections, ID cards, the police state, crisp packet portions getting smaller, the european constitution etc. [/cynical]

mb

boomer

BTW, i think that the Grumpy Old Sod has the right idea!

mb

Klaatu

Agreed! Bad news, sells. If we all believed the "media", then the world would be ending!

billythekid

Its a 50/50 one I think.

In terms of lawless, I think crime on the whole is now much more "accepted" among the lower classes than it was 30 years ago. Almost a case of "needs must", i.e I have to go and rob peoples houses just to get by.

I actually think the problem stems from employment myself.

But with the current system of benefits and housing I dont think we can get people into employment.

Also, as the world takes a slow down I think the number of jobless is going to go up - which means more people getting into trouble.

The current generation (18 years and over) are up the creek IMHO, so we can forget about them. I think we need to see some changes now which will have long lasting effects over the next 20 years or so.

Hard to say what they would be but my first move would be to limit imigration, improving education (the current education system for 11 - 16 years is a joke) and I would also want to reform the justice system and build a few more prisons and then look to cut benefits for people that dont behave.

I also see no point in releasing people from prison early, ok it costs money to keep someone in prison, however I really dont see why people are serving 30 - 40% of their prison terms these days. If I got 10 years in prison in the 1960s I might do 8 or 9 years. Now I would do 4, maybe 5.

RambleRambleRambleRambleRambleRambleRamble

amahrap

situation is barking with the knife rules anyway not helped by jobsworth coppers. My father in law is 72 and a keen pigeon shooter so spends all day in farmers fields blasting things

"excuse me sir but are you aware that the knife that you are carying has a blade length in excess of 4" and is therefore illegal?"

Question is valid but misses the point somewhat as at the time he was walking along the side of a field carrying a ****ing loaded shotgun!!!

Leslie

I think the evidence all points to that particular danger. People used to just rail against the law and the establishment, now many are not prepared to accept any kind of discipline and the difference between right and wrong although recognised does not seem to be of any further importance.We seem to be entering a pretty selfish society in many ways.

The forces of law and order are doing little to help any more, criminals are more highly protected than the normal law abiding citizen, the police give the impression that they have about given up with respect to the people and the judiciary now issues minor penalties unless you are a person who lives normally and pays his taxes. They seem to be the ones to really hit between the eyes for a minor infringement or even for just protecting themselves or their property because the police wont turn up!

If this is allowed to carry on, it will accelerate as such things always do until the land is virtually ungovernable except by the Army! This present bunch of rubbish is heading us off into that direction.

Les

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

I used to carry a knife as a scout, along with every other scout in my troop, I used to carry a knife as a venture scout along with every other venture scout in my unit. At one stage I am not sure if it is still the case, a sheath knife was part of the scout uniform. I use a knife when I go camping, I use a knife when I go fishing, I think I even used to have a knife when I went white water kayaking. We used to take knives with us on scout activities and wide games etc. I also used to carry a stanley knife with me when I was an electrician. Sometimes it used to get left in my back pocket if I forgot it was there and didn't get put in my toolbox.

So under the new laws no scout, sailer, fisherman, Parachutist etc etc will be able to carry a knife.

I myself know for a fact that I can carry a feckin sword in public and have absolutely no desire to stick it in anyone.

As the bloke in the URL said people should be punished for what they do with the knife not purely for having one.

Here is another thing I was working in our test centre yesterday and had a screwdriver in my pocket which I forgot was there, I went to the canteen over the road, it was only when I sat down I realised it was there, surely I could do just as much damage to a person with a screwdriver as I could a knife, so maybe we should ban all metal objects in public.