Knife crime: apathy, denial, complacency?

05 Aug 09

On 25 July I submitted the article ‘Knife crime: I told you so’ in direct response to SMT Online Editor Brian Sims’ most recent Editor’s View. To date, not one response has been forthcoming. I wonder why? Is it apathy, denial or complacency, maybe?

Weapons-related street crime is one of the most crucial and fundamental problems facing the citizens of this country today. Indeed, Monday night’s Channel 4 Dispatches programme entitled ‘The Truth about Street Weapons’ showed us all-too-graphically that very little is being done to control it.

What’s more, the 60-minute report also highlighted the fact that absolutely nothing is being done to give the general population relevant information on how to protect themselves against this form of criminal disease that’s slowly infecting us all.

Presenter Cherie Blair asked the question: “Why has nothing happened since the Channel 4 Street Weapons Commission was set up over a year ago?” Answer? Put simply, it’s because nobody knows what to do!

Millions of pounds are being wasted

The Government just carries on doing what it does best and wastes millions on yet another meaningless Home Affairs Select Committee report while the small numbers of civilian organisations that are really trying to do something are given little or no help at all, to the extent that they remain pathetically underfunded.

I have said it before and I will say it again… I believe part of the overall problem in this country is apathy and denial. There are still those in positions of power that have their heads buried so deep in the ground they think weapons crime only happens in Australia.

If you watched Monday night’s Dispatches, you could have been forgiven for believing that this problem is restricted to youths and street gangs. If you don’t happen to live in a bad area, or on one of the UK’s tough estates, you may firmly believe that knife crime is something that will never touch you.

Wrong! Complacency will steal your life. There are millions of people living in the UK who carry a weapon as a matter of course. To many it’s part of their culture, or even their ‘religion’. Sadly, there are also those who carry a weapon because they live in a ‘war zone’ and fundamentality believe that a weapon is a crucial piece of equipment to aid their survival. Then there are the ones that look on a weapon as nothing more than a tool of the trade. It helps them prey on their victims in order to take whatever it is they want.

Your property, your body or your life

On that note, remember that they can only want three things from you: your property, your body or your life.

I have been a victim of knife crime. Yes, I know what it feels like to have a razor sharp Stanley knife pushed against my throat while I was firmly belted into my car in a pitch black car park. Yes, I felt the terror when this street scum explained in graphic language how he was going to remove my eyes from my head if I didn’t comply with his demands. Even with over 50 years’ experience of teaching self-defence, I understood the overwhelming feeling of desperation and vulnerability felt by all victims.

“What are you going to do now?” the mugger said to me. Any ideas, folks? Any Government data around to help? Maybe his mother didn’t love him. Maybe he was just having a really bad day. Maybe, just maybe, it’s your turn to be on the receiving end of his despicable charade at some point tomorrow. Please take my word for it, though, that we don’t have time to sit around analysing his sociological demographics.

If you have no information you have no education, and if you have no education you have no options. If you have no options you may well spend the rest of your time on this planet engulfed by a world of pain and despair. Luckily, because of my education I knew I had some options which is why I am still here able to write this article, and why the nice young man who confronted me went to prison for four years.

Dispatches only confirmed that everything I said on this very web site one week before the programme was aired was absolutely correct.

To reiterate, I said that if we want to cut knife crime we must start to educate the victims. If we think of weapons-related street crime as a disease like any other all we can hope to do is protect ourselves from it in the best way we can until the ‘experts’ find the cure. We need to take action NOW.

Accept It, Avoid It, Survive It

Complacency will steal your life – accept the fact that weapons-related street crime is now part of your life and will never go away

Do everything in your power to stay away from the people and avoid the places that might endanger you

Learn how to recognise the danger signs that always precede an attack – this will help you to survive, and remember that survival is all you can ever hope for.

Steve Collins is the chief executive of PS5

Addendum: SMT Online Editor Brian Sims writes...

Amersham School is leading the way in addressing the risk of pupils bringing knives into the school environment. Thames Valley Police is aware of this pro-active prevention initiative which complements and supports the aims of ‘Operation Blunt’ - the force's own counter knife activity.

Commented Amersham School's deputy head Peter Ashman: “The purpose of the programme is simply to promote and protect the health and well-being of our pupils, and to ensure they understand and respect the fact that the carrying of knives will not be tolerated here. We feel that it is important schools are working pro-actively and recognise that the advice and guidance given to our students can really make a difference."

Ashman added: "It has been agreed with Scanna that an evaluation would be undertaken following the visits including feedback from students, teachers and parents. We will make that feedback available to the Local Council, the Thames Valley Police, the Home Office and other interested parties.”

Experience of working in schools liaison

The Scanna presentation teams include former police officers with experience of working in youth and schools liaison, education and training.

A representative from Scanna told SMT Online: “The police use our equipment regularly in night clubs, railway stations and at events. Although trials and awareness sessions have been undertaken in the education environment by the police, we feel that for us to truly contribute and support schools and the wider communities the educational aspect of the programme is crucial.”

In conclusion, the Scanna representative said: “We aim to provide an ongoing service of operating our equipment by making regular unannounced visits to maintain this high value deterrent. For those schools who consider a permanent presence of value, we will train staff to operate the equipment, provide training and ongoing advice, guidance and ‘Deter and Detect' updates to ensure leadership teams and teaching staff are kept up-to-date on the true impact of the use of knives by young people.”

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