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| Shock tactics for knife carriers | Shock tactics for knife carriers |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| Young people who carry knives will be made to visit hospitals where stabbing victims are treated, in a bid to shock them into changing their behaviour. | Young people who carry knives will be made to visit hospitals where stabbing victims are treated, in a bid to shock them into changing their behaviour. |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said seeing "gruesome" injuries would be a tougher deterrent than simply sending all knife carriers to prison. | Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said seeing "gruesome" injuries would be a tougher deterrent than simply sending all knife carriers to prison. |
| A spate of stabbings was making people "nervous" about going out, she said. | A spate of stabbings was making people "nervous" about going out, she said. |
| The Conservatives have said children as young as five should be targeted to prevent them turning to knife crime. | The Conservatives have said children as young as five should be targeted to prevent them turning to knife crime. |
| Meet families | Meet families |
| Ms Smith unveiled her plans on Sunday, hours after a man in his 30s was stabbed to death at a pub in Bolton. | Ms Smith unveiled her plans on Sunday, hours after a man in his 30s was stabbed to death at a pub in Bolton. |
| A man is in a serious condition in hospital after suffering multiple wounds at the T in the Park festival in Balado, Kinross-shire. | |
| On Thursday, four men were stabbed to death in London and a fifth died after a knife attack in West Bromwich. | On Thursday, four men were stabbed to death in London and a fifth died after a knife attack in West Bromwich. |
| I'm very keen that we make people face up to the consequences Home Secretary Jacqui Smith Man stabbed to death on night outHow common is knife crime? | I'm very keen that we make people face up to the consequences Home Secretary Jacqui Smith Man stabbed to death on night outHow common is knife crime? |
| Mrs Smith's proposals will see young people caught carrying knives being made to go to accident and emergency wards, to see the consequences of stabbings. | |
| They will meet victims' families and make prison visits to people convicted of knife offences. | |
| The measures, overseen by senior Metropolitan Police officer Alf Hitchcock, will focus on areas including London, the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, Essex and the Thames Valley. | The measures, overseen by senior Metropolitan Police officer Alf Hitchcock, will focus on areas including London, the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, Essex and the Thames Valley. |
| 'Face up' | 'Face up' |
| Mrs Smith told Sky News there should not be a "simplistic approach" to knife crime, adding: "I think if you use your knife or if you are in any way threatening with it, certainly you ought to be sent to prison.... | Mrs Smith told Sky News there should not be a "simplistic approach" to knife crime, adding: "I think if you use your knife or if you are in any way threatening with it, certainly you ought to be sent to prison.... |
| "But for others, what I think would be tougher is actually being made to face up to the sorts of implications of young people carrying knives on our streets; what it means in terms of gruesome injuries; what it could well mean to your future if you end up in prison; what it means to the families of those who actually lose people through knife crime. | "But for others, what I think would be tougher is actually being made to face up to the sorts of implications of young people carrying knives on our streets; what it means in terms of gruesome injuries; what it could well mean to your future if you end up in prison; what it means to the families of those who actually lose people through knife crime. |
| "And I'm very keen that we make people face up to the consequences. In my book, that's tougher than simply saying there's one simple solution and that's everybody goes to prison." | "And I'm very keen that we make people face up to the consequences. In my book, that's tougher than simply saying there's one simple solution and that's everybody goes to prison." |
| I also think there should have been a shock tactic, under certain circumstances, of jailing youths who are carrying knives Barbara Dunne,Mother of stabbing victim Knife fears out on the town | I also think there should have been a shock tactic, under certain circumstances, of jailing youths who are carrying knives Barbara Dunne,Mother of stabbing victim Knife fears out on the town |
| According to the British Crime Survey (BCS), overall violent crime has decreased by 41% since a peak in 1995. | According to the British Crime Survey (BCS), overall violent crime has decreased by 41% since a peak in 1995. |
| Knives are used in about 8% of violent incidents, according to the BCS, a level that has largely remained the same during the past decade. | Knives are used in about 8% of violent incidents, according to the BCS, a level that has largely remained the same during the past decade. |
| But the BCS figures do not include under-16s, something which Ms Smith recently announced would change. | But the BCS figures do not include under-16s, something which Ms Smith recently announced would change. |
| On Sunday she said: "I think all of us understand, whatever top level statistics might say, that this [knife crime] is a serious problem - that even if it isn't happening down your street makes you feel nervous and unconfident - and that's what we need to address". | On Sunday she said: "I think all of us understand, whatever top level statistics might say, that this [knife crime] is a serious problem - that even if it isn't happening down your street makes you feel nervous and unconfident - and that's what we need to address". |
| Anne Oakes-Odger, whose son Westley was stabbed to death in 2005, expressed doubts about the shock tactics to BBC Radio 5 Live. | Anne Oakes-Odger, whose son Westley was stabbed to death in 2005, expressed doubts about the shock tactics to BBC Radio 5 Live. |
| "It all sounds rather cumbersome and not particularly cost-effective and I can't help but wonder how the actual stab victims would feel about that [hospital visits]," she said. | "It all sounds rather cumbersome and not particularly cost-effective and I can't help but wonder how the actual stab victims would feel about that [hospital visits]," she said. |
| Barbara Dunne, whose son Robert was murdered in 2003, welcomed the plans but said ministers should go further. | Barbara Dunne, whose son Robert was murdered in 2003, welcomed the plans but said ministers should go further. |
| "I also think there should have been a shock tactic, under certain circumstances, of jailing youths who are carrying knives - even if it's for two or three weeks," she said. | "I also think there should have been a shock tactic, under certain circumstances, of jailing youths who are carrying knives - even if it's for two or three weeks," she said. |
| "That would have been an even bigger shock to the system. " | "That would have been an even bigger shock to the system. " |
| 'Shocking and tragic' | 'Shocking and tragic' |
| Mrs Smith has written to all 43 chief constables in England and Wales, reminding them of their powers to require pubs and clubs that are associated with knife or gun problems to search customers on entry. | Mrs Smith has written to all 43 chief constables in England and Wales, reminding them of their powers to require pubs and clubs that are associated with knife or gun problems to search customers on entry. |
| Ministers are also looking at how hospitals might work to help the police identify offenders without breaking patient confidentiality. | Ministers are also looking at how hospitals might work to help the police identify offenders without breaking patient confidentiality. |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Friday that recent knife deaths were "shocking and tragic," and promised the publication of a cross-government youth crime plan. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Friday that recent knife deaths were "shocking and tragic," and promised the publication of a cross-government youth crime plan. |
| Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve said children should be targeted in the first year of primary school to prevent them from turning to knife crime later. | Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve said children should be targeted in the first year of primary school to prevent them from turning to knife crime later. |
| He said there are primary head teachers "who can point out... children who are going to be a serious problem". | He said there are primary head teachers "who can point out... children who are going to be a serious problem". |
| 'Half-baked' | 'Half-baked' |
| Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne described Ms Smith's plans as "half-baked", and that the government had been in denial about the scale of the knife crime problem. | Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne described Ms Smith's plans as "half-baked", and that the government had been in denial about the scale of the knife crime problem. |
| Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith, who is leading his party's youth justice taskforce, said: "I would love most kids to see the results of knife crime. | Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith, who is leading his party's youth justice taskforce, said: "I would love most kids to see the results of knife crime. |
| "I have talked to kids who have been involved in knife fights who have become so frightened after what they have seen - the blood and the mess and the dying of somebody is just appalling." | |
Will | Will shock tactics work? Do you think stab victims will want to take part in the scheme? Have you been affected by any issue raised in this story? |
| Send your comments using the post form below, or text 61124. | Send your comments using the post form below, or text 61124. |