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| Brown targets 'problem families' | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| More than 110,000 "problem families" with disruptive youngsters will be targeted as part of a crackdown on knife crime, Gordon Brown has said. | |
| They will get parenting supervision, with the worst 20,000 families facing eviction if they do not respond. | |
| He aimed to make it "unacceptable" to carry a knife, with "prevention, enforcement and punishment" the focus. | |
| The prime minister also urged more councils to impose 90-day teenage curfews "where there is a problem". | |
| The comments came as he used his monthly news conference to defend the government's plans for tackling knife crime, which have been derided as "half-baked" by the Liberal Democrats. | |
| Stop and search | |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has already announced proposals to use shock tactics against young offenders caught in possession of a knife. | Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has already announced proposals to use shock tactics against young offenders caught in possession of a knife. |
| Mr Brown told reporters he did not want to see automatic prison sentences for people carrying knives. | |
| "If you carry a knife, our objective and determination is you will be caught, you will be prosecuted, you will be punished," he said. | "If you carry a knife, our objective and determination is you will be caught, you will be prosecuted, you will be punished," he said. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYThe shock of a mandatory 5 year prison sentence with no parole should be enough to shock most knife carriers back to sanity.John Smith, EnglandSend us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAYThe shock of a mandatory 5 year prison sentence with no parole should be enough to shock most knife carriers back to sanity.John Smith, EnglandSend us your comments |
| "We want to do all we can - enforcement, punishment, prevention together." | "We want to do all we can - enforcement, punishment, prevention together." |
| This included increasing police stop and search powers, more visible policing and dealing with 110,000 "problem" families, which have "disruptive young people". | This included increasing police stop and search powers, more visible policing and dealing with 110,000 "problem" families, which have "disruptive young people". |
| There will be more "community pay back sentences", where young offenders have to "pay back for doing wrong", by cleaning streets on a Friday or Saturday night and clearing up graffiti. | There will be more "community pay back sentences", where young offenders have to "pay back for doing wrong", by cleaning streets on a Friday or Saturday night and clearing up graffiti. |
| Mr Brown said he also backed plans for a roll-out of curfews for children by councils trying to tackle anti-social behaviour. | |
| He admitted: "Too many people, young and old, do not feel safe in the streets, and sometimes even in their homes, as a result of the behaviour of a minority. | |
| "We need to make it absolutely clear to everyone, but especially young people, that in our country there are boundaries of acceptable behaviour, that it is completely unacceptable to carry a knife." | |
| Ms Smith's proposals for England and Wales will be outlined in more detail when the government publishes its youth crime plan on Tuesday. | |
| They include making young people caught carrying knives go to accident and emergency wards, to see the consequences of stabbings. | |
| Consequences | Consequences |
| They will meet victims' families and make prison visits to people convicted of knife offences. | They will meet victims' families and make prison visits to people convicted of knife offences. |
| She said: "I am very keen that we make people face up to the consequences. | She said: "I am very keen that we make people face up to the consequences. |
| "In my book it is tougher than simply saying there is one, simple solution and that is everyone goes to prison." | "In my book it is tougher than simply saying there is one, simple solution and that is everyone goes to prison." |
| 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. |
| Teenagers give their views on knife crime | Teenagers give their views on knife crime |
| 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. |
| Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne described Ms Smith's knife crime plans as "half-baked", and said 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 knife crime plans as "half-baked", and said the government had been in denial about the scale of the knife crime problem. |
| Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve told the BBC: "I don't think these have really been thought through at all, although they are clearly well intentioned. | Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve told the BBC: "I don't think these have really been thought through at all, although they are clearly well intentioned. |
| "If we want to stop knife carrying on the streets, we're going to unfortunately have to be very tough in terms of sentencing and prosecuting people who carry knives." | "If we want to stop knife carrying on the streets, we're going to unfortunately have to be very tough in terms of sentencing and prosecuting people who carry knives." |
| The government's measures, overseen by Mr Hitchcock who is deputy assistant commissioner for Scotland Yard, will focus on a number of areas including London, the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, Essex and the Thames Valley. | The government's measures, overseen by Mr Hitchcock who is deputy assistant commissioner for Scotland Yard, will focus on a number of areas including London, the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, Essex and the Thames Valley. |
| Discipline | Discipline |
| Mr Hitchcock told the Daily Mail a non-military version of national service could include helping vulnerable people and volunteering overseas. | Mr Hitchcock told the Daily Mail a non-military version of national service could include helping vulnerable people and volunteering overseas. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| He said most young people were not "beyond the pale" but had been "let down" and it was now time to give them the "hope they deserve". | He said most young people were not "beyond the pale" but had been "let down" and it was now time to give them the "hope they deserve". |
| Mr Hitchcock added: "It would give them a sense of responsibility and achievement - and some discipline. | Mr Hitchcock added: "It would give them a sense of responsibility and achievement - and some discipline. |
| "It should not be seen as a punishment, or a pressurised duty like conscription, but as an opportunity to go forward into a successful adulthood." | "It should not be seen as a punishment, or a pressurised duty like conscription, but as an opportunity to go forward into a successful adulthood." |
| Mr Hitchcock said there was a need for a comprehensive plan which gave support and parenting skills to young children and their parents. | Mr Hitchcock said there was a need for a comprehensive plan which gave support and parenting skills to young children and their parents. |
| Yusufu Miiro, one of five people stabbed to death in 24 hours last Thursday | Yusufu Miiro, one of five people stabbed to death in 24 hours last Thursday |
| "This kind of plan is not cheap and easy. Changes in government often mean changes in plans, so it needs cross-party support for a programme which may take 15 to 20 years to achieve its full effect." | "This kind of plan is not cheap and easy. Changes in government often mean changes in plans, so it needs cross-party support for a programme which may take 15 to 20 years to achieve its full effect." |
| In an interview with the Times, Mr Hitchcock said he was concerned that the issue of knife crime was "being used politically". | In an interview with the Times, Mr Hitchcock said he was concerned that the issue of knife crime was "being used politically". |
| He said: "This is a time for the parties to stop using it as a political argument and to start working together. | He said: "This is a time for the parties to stop using it as a political argument and to start working together. |
| "I'm sure there are good ideas in government and good ideas in the opposition, and drawing these ideas together would be better than fighting over the issue. | "I'm sure there are good ideas in government and good ideas in the opposition, and drawing these ideas together would be better than fighting over the issue. |
| "We all know that policing alone isn't going to solve this." | "We all know that policing alone isn't going to solve this." |