Are the government now going to get tough on knife crime?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....months-picked-on.html

/// When the Tories came to power, they pledged to jail anyone caught carrying a blade, but this has since been ditched after ministers baulked at the cost of locking up another 8,200 offenders at any one time. ///

/// A new law, awaiting Royal Assent, will now hand mandatory jail terms to adults and 16 and 17-year-olds if they are convicted of threatening a victim with a knife. ///

/// According to figures released by the Crime Survey for England and Wales earlier this month, there were 15,552 knife-point robberies by offenders of all ages reported to officers last year - up 9 per cent from the previous 12 months. ///

Now let's look at the figures, the original Tory/LibDem's pledge was ditched because of the cost of locking up 8,200 offenders, but there were 15,552 knife point robberies reported only last year.

Surely if they are now going to give out jail sentences and there have been 15,552 in just last year, that is going to cost a lot more than the locking up 8,200.

Or am I going wrong somewhere?

[sp1814]

percypineapple

Not true.

http://www.guardian.c...ror-police-statistics

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....2-years.html?ITO=1490

This is yet another example of how serious knife crime has become in Britain.

The time has now come for zero tolerance, ie random stop and search and anyone found in possession of a knife is given an immediate custodial sentence.

Interesting to note that according to sp1814's link in most areas except those under the Metropolitan Police authority. in England and Wales the number of white stop and searches far exceeded black stop and searches.

But I don't think prison is the answer, as this is regarded as some kind of 'street cred medal', no what is needed are military type punishment centres, staffed by strict ex service personnel.

The daily life in these centres would start at around 6.00am for physical exercise before breakfast, followed by the rest of the day in education classes, trade classes, and work details.

[sp1814]

AOG

in most areas except those under the Metropolitan Police authority. in England and Wales the number of white stop and searches far exceeded black stop and searches

Possibly because there are statistically more whites than non-whites outside the area covered by the Met?

[anotheoldgit]

sp1814

/// Possibly because there are statistically more whites than non-whites outside the area covered by the Met? ///

Are you then equally saying that there are more non-whites than whites in the area covered by the Met?

[sp1814]

Nope - but proportions are always going to be skewed towards non-whites in urban police districts simply because historically, this is where immigrants went for work.

In rural areas, you will find a far higher number of white immigrants (eg. Eastern European) who work on short term contracts in agriculture.

There are going to be some areas covered by the Met where the non-white population is very high (Brixton, Peckham, Streatham), and some where it's very low (Kensington, Westminster, Richmond, Park Lane, Mayfair), but these are more to do with economic factors than race...ie. Kensington, Westminster, Richmond, Park Lane and Mayfair also has a lower number of unskilled workers and Labour voters...

[anotheoldgit]

sp1814

Yes I completely agree with that, but then why is it that blacks in those areas are always complaining that they are more likely to be stopped and searched than whites?

By the very fact that they are more black persons in area such as Brixton, Peckham, Streatham, it therefore stands to reason that they are more likely to be stopped and searched than a white person.

[needawin]

Here in Belfast the latest (and worst so far) Chief Constable, Matt Baggott, was interviewed in a local talk radio programme last week. The main topic was about the lenient sentencing for offenders and the poor arrest rate. When asked about sentencing youths for criminal offences he said he would give them community service work such as cutting the grass of elderly who had been attacked. I kid you not. God help us as the police won't.

[Zeuhl]

I thought that at one stage police based their stop and search targeting on the racial mix of perpetrators.

So if all your muggers are black, why would you stop and search anyone who is anything else?

The issue is that stopping and searching someone without any reason is a highly intrusive and uncomfortable experience - that's why it is effective when you hit the right person.

In reality though, that means that if you are a black youth who lives in and frequents the streets of certain areas you will be stopped a lot! Year after year.

And if you are not doing anything wrong that will soon p1ss you off and inevitably affect your attitude towards the police.
Which is of course, not the overall objective or a desirable outcome for anybody.

On a personal note, we used to employ a young black guy who lived in south london and we gave him a very nice company car.
You would hardly believe how often he was pulled over by the police on 'sus'.