Knife Crime and Ethical Issues

Introduction

Violence is not new. Violence is present in myths, in wars, and even in movies. And mostly, violence is done with weapons such as guns, knives, and even fists. At present times, the individuals engage in violence are the youths that viewed the violence as an adventure or proving that they are strong enough in which eventually turns out the other way.

An Overview on Knife Crime

The occurrences of violence and crime are focused on the youth as both predecessor and victim as well. The youths and their exposure in the middle of the social life are still confused in how they will mingle with other people (Curtis, 1998). The youth from the age of 13 – 18 are afraid of violence and sometimes, without knowing, they are also committing violence for others. This happens when they carry weapons such as knives innocently handling them for protection. But in the eyes of the authority, carrying knife is an act of promoting violence.

Sadly, there are an increasing intelligent crime reports and violence cases along with every community. It is not new to the public that many youths are facing different level of problems within the society but the most influential factor is the issue about the family. Peers or friends are the second influential factors, while the education is considered part of the factors.

Population Data Collected

Year	2007	2008
Robberies	604	571
Violent knife crime	631	591
Total crime	81,792	80,893
Gun crime	87	70

Ethical Issues

Violence and crime did not disappear overnight or entirely from the lives of the youth’s generation (Curtis, 1998). These youths turned to many vices such as smoking, marijuana, and cocaine to at least make a temporary solution for their problems. But these vices are not apt to the reality they are facing to, although they are still in the stage of soul-searching, the youth should understand the consequences of their action. With all these things, youth often failed to attend school and create more cobwebs of problems.

Knife crime is a major issue that claims thousands of lives of innocent people just for the merciless gang violence and turf wars. It is large contributing factor to the social and moral decline of the world. And it also eliminates the sense of security, like in a traditional way such as putting the killers behind bars. Teenagers or the youth are the victim of this spoil activity and waste their time and lives. In addition, knife crime is getting worst and the police unveiled the facts about the knife and the committed crime out of it.

There is a presence of knife-related offence in approximately 24 minutes. The knife-crime incidents are often accidental or done with a reason of self-defense but within the recorded stabbings, there is an emerging half murders related to the knife-crime. The report also revealed that pupils admittedly carried knife that sometimes injured themselves or someone intentionally. With knife, crime continues to cause serious harm to victims and create fears within the community. The consequences fall for all on those individuals involved in this type of crime (Reid, 2007). The knife-crime wound the different types of violence.

Against the Knife-Crime

The best practice in fighting knife crime comes in four main streams which were developed in accordance with the policing principles of intelligence, prevention, enforcement, and reassurance. These streams are nor created to act solely but gradually linked to each other (Reid, 2007). It is effective for every policy to be applied with intelligence. Good intelligence informs prevention and enforcement. Clear information provides positive opportunities in intervention in different social agencies such as schools, hospitals, and socials care services.

Education ensures the young people to have correct information and challenge to break the culture of knife-crime. With the coordination of technology as vehicle that receive and accept information, the forces in breaking the knife-culture will be established. There are also charities and community organizations working together to provide education about the knife crime and save innocents that are willing to turn their backs from the dire practice. With the acquired knowledge and help, the formulation of prevention as the main strategy to achieve the goal is the next step.

Conclusion

Youth who believed in the power of the knives must be saved by their parents or by the social services. And the start of the change should be implemented. The helping hands of the people around them is important to educate the youth about the crime out of carrying knife and its bad effects on their future.

References:

Curtis, R., 1998. The Improbable Transformation of Inner-City Neighborhoods: Crime, Violence, Drugs, and Youth in the 1990s. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, Vol. 88, No. 4.

Reid, K., 2007. Knife Crime Best Practices Guidelines. ACPO/Home Office. [Online] Available at: http://www.scanna-msc.com/pdf%20brochures/knifecrimebestpractices.pdf. [Accessed 26 Nov 2009].

Other Source:

Online Learning University, 2009. On Knife Crime and Its Effect on Society. [Online] Available at: http://socyberty.com/crime/knife-crime-2/. [Accessed 26 Nov 2009.