Knife Crime?

Warning, this video from the BBC has people discussing quite shocking and gruesome things.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38772583

So this report is about a different city in the country I live in. But, this does also happen where I live. It is quite shocking, especially considering the people involved. Is this an issue around the world as well? Do we need to help educate people more about the real life dangers? What can we do to help stop this from happening?

 

This is rather shocking when faced with the fact of who's involved. Our youth, innocent people, & those who now carry their own knifes out of fear. I don't feel this is a issue around the world, but it seems to be a growing issue. From China to the UK these seem to be the key locations making the big headlines. As for stopping it Law Enforcement needs to step up and public to school education needs to step in to help the youth understand the severity.

Now the issue Law Enforcement is having is if a person is searched and found in possession of a knife their first offense typically isn't faced with severe charges. It's only when their caught (Adults only) a second time that they face a minimum mandatory 6 month jail sentence & a maximum rarely exceeding 4 years . Ages 16-18 will normally face at least four months detention or a training order. The issue is the readily available access to a knife as well. Anyone can acquire one. It's not like a gun crime where the severity of charges is far worse & countless regulations on gun restrictions. So when trying to confront and tackle this issue it becomes harder.

Many politicians have requested stricter more severe laws be implemented to help combat knife crime. Plans to target & prosecute those aged 15-17 caught with a knife, rather than merely cautioning them. In harsh truth the only way to combat the issue is with more police, tougher sentencing, & better facilities for young people.​

 

This probably happens in the US, but I think it's not as often as crimes involving guns. If this were a major problem in the US, it'd likely be in sanctuary cities like Chicago where they try to strip your 2nd Amendment rights. Doesn't mean guns aren't still a major issue for one of the heaviest "gun control" cities, just means Chicago will find alternative weapons if they can't get something from the black market.

 

This is an example of

Spoiler: "Violence breeds violence,"

yet somehow, it has to be this way.
I grew up under the philosophy that "Every man ought to have a pocket knife." So when I come across laws against knives, I get a little annoyed. Mainly because I use a knife for utility purposes. In Kansas, knife restrictions have been lifted entirely, which I would take advantage of by getting a butterfly knife (but I have no real reason since it is generally illegal in the rest of the USA). But I don't hear any stories of people carrying wakizashi blades or cleavers here. Used to be, 3 inches was the legal carry-on size, with restrictions on gravity knives and switchblades.
It is an endless cycle. People have too much pride to take something without retaliating. Eye for an eye may be justice, but the person that gets retaliated upon will take another eye out of anger, and on it continues.

 

I don't think anything should be done to prevent "knife crime." Possession alone definitely shouldn't be illegal unless you have a prior criminal history of violence.

Sometimes you have to be prepared and while a fist fight is obviously more ideal it doesn't always work if the other guy has a blade. Years ago I was told point blank one person brought a knife to school specifically to stab me if a fight went down that day and it was so close to happening. It would of been three vs one (I was the one) I was young and dumb, I wouldn't have had a way to defend myself if he went through with it. A month later the guy who wanted to stab me gave me a ride home. Moral of the story is, do what you have to to protect yourself.

Guns are a different story because gunfire is typically longer distance and generally whoever shoots first "wins" unless he's a bad shot. There's more room for error, and guns are the most used weapons in mass murder where as knives aren't that effective. The US could learn a ton from the UK on Gun Control but it'll never happen. Though I do think the gun possession laws in the UK are a bit to severe.

 

In a general sense, I agree that crimes with weapons are an issue. Knife crimes aren't as large here in the US because, just like Know said, Guns are more prevalent. However, if you were to ask someone why they carry, just like in the video, it's because of fear. They fear being attacked and want to be able to defend themselves.

Let's take a look at what the US has done to try to eliminate gun crime:
1: Stricter laws surrounding the illegal carrying of a firearm
2: Harsher sentences for those convicted
3: A crackdown on the sales of guns
4: Tougher restrictions on obtaining a firearm

But when you look at when many of these things went down in just the last 8 years during the Obama Administration, It didn't halt gun sales. Patriots who believe in our right to have an bear arms, went and bought more guns. Gun sales rose to a whole new height because people thought that one of our national rights was going to be taken away.

The Right to Bear Arms isn't meant to help those who would commit crimes. It's actually something to prevent it. The problem with certain cities like New York or Chicago, is that they aren't at all like Texas. How many people break into a home, shoot someone, and take their possessions? The number is quite alarming. But take a look at those numbers and find out how many of them are in Texas. The answer is a very small fraction. People often wonder why that is. I'll tell you, It's because there are laws that protect people who Defend Themselves. Home break-ins are very few in number because criminals know that if they break into someone's house, they are under Common Law to be shot on sight. Additionally there are trespassing laws that make it so that if someone is warned just once, that person is also liable to be shot.

Texas is by no means without fault in it's laws, but ever since the new carry law came into effect, the number of incidents have dropped a whole 20%. Stricter laws only make people resort to radical means to do what they had already intended on doing. Criminal behavior starts and ends at home. It has nothing to do with laws. Teach the kids the right thing, have parents, teachers, and mentors do their utmost to guide kids in the right direction, and things will fall into place the way it should. Education and Mentorship should be #1 in eradicating the illegal use of weapons.