Knife Crime blog - making society safer

Remembrance Sunday... For armed forces who have died

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:42:00 +0000

"THEY shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning... We will remember them." - You can read The Fallen poem here.

First world war: For the Fallen, a poem by Laurence Binyon | World news | The Guardian

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Laurence Binyon: "With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children, England mourns for her dead across the sea."

Current UK political corruption harms knife crime, gun crime and anti-violence campaiging

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:43:00 +0000

The systemic corruption in the UK's political 'organisation' (i.e. Parliament and MPs - and presumably the Civil Service too) is adversely affecting and undermining the work of anti-knife and gun crime campaigners, and those trying to tackle violence in our society.

By far the strongest illustration of this, as far as knife and other crime is concerned, is former (and disgraced) Home Secretary Jacqui Smith. Her perverse moral leadership (claiming huge sums of taxpayers money for a second home as well as the porn video fiasco) left the Home Office rudderless at a time when the anti-violence campaigners were building some momentum. I'm not saying that momentum has gone for good - but the behaviour of MPs like Jacqui Smith has hampered the work of so many families, crime victims etc at a time when they needed people with power to help them push for required change. This is much more than letting people down. Reflect on that Ms Smith and for God's sake... resign. Get a proper job and see how you get on there.

At the same time and for the same reasons, co-ordinated attempts, communications and PR efforts to highlight and tackle violent crime seem to have fallen by the wayside to some degree because politicians have demonstrated time and again that they are more interested in themselves, their salaries, commercial interests, etc, rather than those people suffering in the midst of a violent culture.

With the Government and opposition parties in disarray due to the corrupt parliamentarian compensation system they have been happy to be part of for years, these ego-centred MPs (I can't call them public servants - they haven't served, they have stolen) continue to demonstrate more interest in themselves than victims of crime and the issue of violent crime, sadly.

PM Gordon Brown recognised this when he said, "Never again should a Member of Parliament be more interested in the value of their allowances than the values of their constituents." And then this autumn Gordon Brown was ordered to pay back more than £12,000 of overpaid expenses.

All this goes beyond words - these people have lost sight of principles and morals. They have literally been "fiddling while Rome (the UK) burns". Are we seriously going to let any of these intrinsically corrupt people to administer our hard-earned taxes from now on?

This week there has been the publication of more worrying knife crime statistics and a terrible stabbing attack which further highlights a lack of impetus to tackle this key law and order issue.

A church volunteer was stabbed trying to protect children from a gang of marauding youths - awful that this can happen on UK streets. If this continues, I can see a rise of vigilantism in communities because there is insufficient capability to police - a problem Jackie Smith would normally be fixing - but she can't... she's lost any public mandate to address this.

So where are the country's leaders at this time? I don't think there are any good leaders now. Everyone's gone to ground trying to work out how to keep their jobs at the next election rather than tackle crime and violence. It's disgraceful. Someone needs to be pushing the police and law enforcement authorities to do more. Instead, we now have ineptitude and complacency creeping in.

Jackie Smith and her ilk need to reflect on facts like that when adopting an apologetic tone in front of cameras and the media. All their selfish, materialist grasping has led to a crisis that has undoubtedly led to more suffering for crime victims and those trying to tackle this scourge of violence around us. Now we have to wait while Alan Johnson gets up to speed - and I noticed today that he's winding up people already, making all the scientists walk out.

I'm beginning to wonder if Labour has much of a clue anymore. Lost touch with their grass roots certainly, I believe.

Jacqui Smith and others like her taking vast amounts of cash etc are a disgrace to hard working, honest citizens such as these. We don't need people like these in public life, we don't want to see them. Why are they hanging around? We just want them to f-ing clear off.

To my mind, having a vote at election time is not sufficient. The voters need to hold MPs to account more often and more effectively than at election time. Their complicit acceptance of a corrupt expenses and payment system over many years makes them unfit to govern.

Those MPs with a conscience need to re-appraise and better assess their priorities. Some are maybe trying to do this (ever the optimist) - but such change is hardly shining through the darkness, is it?

Probably though, better people who know how to serve the public are required. Or maybe things would be better if there was simply more power for the people?

Arrests after BBC racism Panorama film

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:05:00 +0000

Potential good news after the Panorama programme. I spotted that a 22-year-old man and 11-year-old boy had been arrested. For legal reasons, it's not possible to give more details than this, I understand.

Details on the BBC website about two held after the racism exposé

Racism - watch it on BBC Panorama... what are you doing about it?

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:00:00 +0000

This is racism. Two undercover reporters have clearly exposed the truth about many people's views about racism in this country.

Words can't describe how I felt watching this. No wonder reporter Tamanna Rahman was crying and fearful. She was smashed in the face and victim of an attempted mugging, among other abuse.

Just watch and read to be horrified:

BBC Panaroma film on racism and anti-social behaviour in Bristol

Soon we hope Sean Ganderton is locked away behind bars (in fact, that should happen this very night, else there's no justice in this country), and 11-year-old Sonny Clark faces some public authority 'intervention'. That's two names to watch out for and avoid in the future.

(If you are a friend of Sean Ganderton on Facebook, I trust you will quietly leave his friendship network.)

Why name Sonny Clark, aged 11? Because he threatened to knife Tamanna. He is a killer in the making, surely.

Anne Frank and the Stephen Lawrence stabbing

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 21:56:00 +0000

Anne Frank... recognise that name? Today, the full impact of murder most foul, undescribable evil - and knife crime - hit home in a powerful way. Anne was the German Jewish teenager killed by the Nazi machine in World War Two.

I saw the full horror of the Holocaust in just a few words and evocative images of an era not so long ago - when human beings slaughtered others because they were Jewish, or judged to not be as able-bodied as others.

It was shocking and made me angry inside.

You know, Nazis or concentration camp 'staff' threw poison crystals into the shower areas that vaporised into poisonous gas that took up to 20 minutes to kill all in the those showers?

What sort of person, gang - or political faction - does that?

For some reason, I understood why men and women in Britain took up arms to defend our people from such despicable activities by the Nazi regime - and other sick-minded folk, no doubt.

Where was all this revealed? Would you believe it was at an exhibition in my home town, Chichester, in a small corner of quiet place where people can reflect. I saw the history of the Holocaust brought to terrible life alongside the writings and daily activities of a virtually imprisoned Anne Frank.

Then the exhibition confronts some of the worrying social issues confronting modern Britain today including knife crime, gun crime and racism.

A memorial to Stephen Lawrence, the young black teenager believed to have been killed by white racists, rests on one wall of the display, testament to a quite peaceful fight for justice this country has rarely seen.

Anne Frank wrote in her diary: “I want to go on living even after my death!”

And so she is - her thoughts are working their way through the whole world via this exhibition and the Internet.

Anne Frank is a symbol of the millions of innocent children who have been victims of persecution. Anne's life shows us what can happen when prejudice and hatred go unchallenged.

Would you sign up to the Anne Frank Declaration:

Because prejudice and hatred harm us all, will you declare that...?

You will stand up for what is right and speak out against what is unfair and wrong.
You will try to defend those who cannot defend themselves.
You will strive for a world in which our differences will make no difference – a world in which everyone is treated fairly and has an equal chance in life.

To understand more about her, see the Anne Frank Trust UK website - and think about how to challenge the prejudice and reduce hatred perpetuated by sick people who pick up knives and other weapons to destroy, maim or injure other human beings. You'll learn much more by visiting an Anne Frank exhibition - it would be great if someone puts it online.

When I criticise people who are racist, fighters, criminals, I know I make myself a target for potential malice and a vent for their irritation, even violent anger. My being a thorn in the side or a pain in the neck, however, is like nothing compared to a blade in the abdomen or a knife used to carve and disfigure a human body - or face.

Will business stop killing UK - and world - society?

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 06:52:00 +0000

It's as important now as it was then... in fact, probably moreso... that to solve knife crime, gun crime and violence problems there must be something of substance for would-be assailants to aspire to other than street and related crime.

I have alluded to this at various times on this blog, including a post on business killing security and happiness in society.

It was with a little hope then that I discovered an interesting article that highlights some key areas about reforms which businesses need to consider to establish a better business framework for the future that may provide a better basis for people - and society - to stay out of crime and aspire to a more honest working life.

Here's how it starts:

Saving Britain’s future — fixing the country's (world's?) balance sheet?

If Britain were a company, it'd be undergoing a “business review”. Exec summary as follows, “UK Plc was once hailed for its excellent, beautifully engineered product range.

"It owned some of the world's best brands and had a presence in many overseas territories. Service offering was sometimes eccentric, but this pillar of the business community was committed to high commercial values.

“With the retirement of its long-standing managing director, a series of new CEOs' came in. Keen to make their mark, they took the business public and pushed into new markets, particularly complex financial products'. Profits surged, UK Plc took on new people, market expectations soared. With the disposal of its old industrial divisions, credit ratings hit triple-A.

“A focus on the P&L, however, led management to neglect the balance sheet. Huge levels of debt were built up. This new leveraged' structure was justified by the promise of ceaseless future earnings from the globalised market.

“The business model was robust', spokesmen insisted. However, when its debt providers retrenched and customer confidence nosedived, the strategy of the recently rebranded Cool Britannia was exposed.”

Read more details via Google - various versions of this article are spread in various places.

It talks further about not advocating a return to short-termist “wealth-creation” that spawned what Financial Services Authority chairman Lord Turner calls “socially useless” commercial activity.

A good business needs predictable, long-term revenues. It needs well-trained, enthusiastic people and manageable levels of debt. It should produce strong products that people buy because they need or want them, not just because they've been “sold” into submission.

And maybe from that, people can earn decent livings - or even achieve much more, rather than become knife or gun criminals.

Biology's part in knife, gun and other crime

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 09:16:00 +0000

Someone has posted a great piece of research on this knife crime blog about scientific / biological evidence showing how crime is likely driven by factors such as testosterone levels, low activity variant of MAO-A and cognitive ability. The gang link between IQ and joining gangs is notable and worth thinking about how to solve. Let me know what you think - this type of stuff can be quite controversial, I appreciate.

... I just spotted that the links in the post to the scientific evidence are not 'live' so here they are for your reference:

'Warrior Gene' linked to gang membership
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090605123237.htm

Ethnic factors - Black, Asian, White, Japanese etc testosterone levels
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3455741

Cognitive factors
www.psychology.uwo.ca/faculty/rushtonpdfs/PPPL1.pdf
www.psychology.uwo.ca/faculty/rushtonpdfs/P&E%20Crime.pdf

Please let me know what you think too.

Trick knives bought by children

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:38:00 +0000

Feel a little like holding my head in my hands... I started this anti-knife crime blog as a memorial - but also in the hope it can persuade people not to carry knives as weapons, to help try to make knife carrying as anti-social as, say, smoking.

This weekend my 10-year-old daughter came to show me a plastic toy knife she bought at a car boot sale this weekend - for two pence. The picture of it in this post is almost identical to the one she bought.

What surprised me was how happy she was to have bought it. It had a spring loaded plastic blade that gives the impression of a blade passing into the body when, in fact, the blade passes (harmlessly) into the handle. You can pretend to stab yourself - great fun for kids, it seems.

My daughter loved this trick. She does like drama and acting so I guess it appealed to the theatrical side of her personality. Being young and innocent, she thought it was - simply - a great trick.

Me, however, being somewhat sensitised to knives used as weapons, am just wondering how to best communicate about knife-carrying to young people without being way too overbearing. Far better for any child to independently understand the dangers of carrying knives and not want to have one, seems to be a useful message to convey.

At the moment, I think I'm partly right and partly wrong. My children have also play-acted with fake confectionery cigarettes but openly discuss the dangers of dying from smoking-related cancer and how they are anti-smoking. My aim now then is to have them express similar sentiments about knives and knife-carrying. A communication challenge with some complexities - but, all being well, I'll let you know what happens.

How to treat knife and gun criminals who maim and murder

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:06:00 +0000

Scotland has exercised compassion by releasing a convicted Libyan prisoner. Court evidence showed he was a terrorist and involved in blowing up a Pan Am plane over the country (Lockerbie) back in 1988, killing so many innocents (270).

What should we do when murderous criminals and aggressive types (who set about people with a knife or a gun - or bombs) are in prison and face a terminal illness? Let them rot in prison. It's a popular sentiment.

This Lockerbie bomber case seems to have opened a can of worms and much misery - and who knows if releasing someone in this manner could lead to more atrocities in the future. That's a real worry and security concern. But showing some compassion should be a good thing, I would have thought. It shows we're not 'in the gutter' like some criminal scum.

Here's a relevant excerpt of the Scottish Justice secretary Kenny MacAskill's release statement. Worth reflecting on and evaluating...

"In Scotland, we are a people who pride ourselves on our humanity. It is viewed as a defining characteristic of Scotland and the Scottish people.

"The perpetration of an atrocity and outrage cannot and should not be a basis for losing sight of who we are, the values we seek to uphold, and the faith and beliefs by which we seek to live.

"Mr Al Megrahi did not show his victims any comfort or compassion. They were not allowed to return to the bosom of their families to see out their lives, let alone their dying days. No compassion was shown by him to them.

"But that alone is not a reason for us to deny compassion to him and his family in his final days.

"Our justice system demands that judgment be imposed but compassion be available.

"Our beliefs dictate that justice be served, but mercy be shown.

"Compassion and mercy are about upholding the beliefs that we seek to live by, remaining true to our values as a people. No matter the severity of the provocation or the atrocity perpetrated.

"For these reasons - and these reasons alone - it is my decision that Mr Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, convicted in 2001 for the Lockerbie bombing, now terminally ill with prostate cancer, be released on compassionate grounds and allowed to return to Libya to die."

Violent crime - Loss of loved ones

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 22:26:00 +0000

Reminiscing, as you do sometimes, I listened again to Puff Daddy's
tribute to the Notorious B.I.G. He was once a drug dealer - but putting
that disturbing issue aside - I could feel myself welling up as this touching, poignant song about the violent death of a friend.

"What a life to take, what a bond to break..."

See what you think. It helped me grieve a little more as I recalled the stabbing I tried to stop. Maybe it will help you.

Lyrics are below for you to mull on. To hear the song, play the You
Tube video below or click this link if you have a mobile device - http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4N_RLyINSGE&fulldescription=1&client=mv-google&gl=GB&hl=en

Verse One: Puff Daddy
(Yeah... this right here... goes out to everyone who has lost someone they
truly love)

Seems like yesterday we used to rock the show
I laced the track, you locked the flow
So far from hangin on the block for dough
Notorious, they got to know that
Life ain't always what it seem to be (uh-uh)
Words can't express what you mean to me
Even though you're gone, we still a team
Through your family, I'll fulfill your dream (that's right)
In the future, can't wait to see
If you open up the gates for me
Reminisce some time, the night they took my friend (uh-huh)
Try to black it out, but it plays again
When it's real, feelings hard to conceal
Can't imagine all the pain I feel
Give anything to hear half your breath (half your breath)
I know you still living your life, after death

Chorus: Faith Evans
Every step I take, every move I make
Every single day, every time I pray
I'll be missing you
Thinkin of the days, when you went away
What a life to take, what a bond to break
I'll be missing you

Verse Two: Puff Daddy
[Puff] I miss you Big
It's kinda hard with you not around (yeah)
Know you in heaven smilin down (eheh)
Watchin us while we pray for you
Every day we pray for you
Til the day we meet again
In my heart is where I'll keep you friend
Memories give me the strength I need (uh-huh) to proceed
Strength I need to believe
My thoughts Big I just can't define (can't define)
Wish I could turn back the hands of time
Us in the 6, shop for new clothes and kicks
You and me taking flicks
Makin hits, stages they receive you on
I still can't believe you're gone (can't believe you're gone)
Give anything to hear half your breath (half your breath)
I know you still living you're life, after death

Chorus:
Every step I take, every move I make
Every single day, every time I pray
I'll be missing you
Thinkin of the days, when you went away
What a life to take, what a bond to break
I'll be missing you

Faith Evans:
Somebody tell me why
One Black Morning
When this life is over
I know
I'll see your face

112 Outro:
Every night I pray, every step I take
Every move I make, every single day
Every night I pray, every step I take
[Puff] Every day that passes
Every move I make, every single day
[Puff] Is a day that I get closer
[Puff] To seeing you again
Every night I pray, every step I take
[Puff] We miss you Big... and we won't stop
Every move I make, every single day
[Puff] Cause we can't stop... that's right
Every night I pray, every step I take
Every move I make, every single day
[Puff] We miss you Big

Faith Evans:
Every step I take, every move I make
Every single day, every time I pray
I'll be missing you
Thinkin of the day, when you went away
What a life to take, what a bond to break
I'll be missing you

Every step I take, every move I make
Every single day, every time I pray
I'll be missing you
Thinkin of the day, when you went away
What a life to take, what a bond to break
I'll be missing you

Rio Ferdinand and pro footballers anti-knife campaign

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 14:31:00 +0000

Does anyone know what's been happening with the 'It Doesn't Have To
Happen' anti-knife campaign launched by the England football team's
Rio Ferdinand, David Beckham and David James?

I saw Rio quoted recently saying, "Communities need to play a bigger
part. Boredom can set in. There is a lot of peer pressure and then
something happens that everyone regrets."

Commendable comment and sentiment but I haven't noticed much else. Let
me know if you've seen any updates on this one - I'd like to think
this campaign could be helping more. Or what do you think?

BBC knife crime interviews and blog posts

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:29:00 +0000

Just posted a knife crime blog post to the BBC Radio 5 phone in. And earlier tweeted the following:

WISH politicians would stop electioneering and arguing in public about knife crime and work together on solving the issue.25 minutes ago from BeTwittered
INTERVIEW is now being used on BBC radio as a news item - wanted to suggest the UK appoints a knife and gun crime tsar to the problem.26 minutes ago from BeTwittered
BBC interview done - confusion reigns over the current knife crime figures, I said. Think you can listen to it again at http://bit.ly/a0Nwp29 minutes ago from BeTwittered
THE BBC are calling me in 20 minutes to do an interview on knife crime - anyone out there want me to make their point in the discussion?about 1 hour ago from web

Knife crime statistics - what's going on? And the politicians are trying to get votes...

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 05:33:00 +0000

Something funny is going on with knife crime figures.

According to the Telegraph, official figures show police recorded 38,082 serious violent or sexual knife offences last year - amounting to 104 every day.

But the previous year's figure was 25,013 - that looks like a 50 per cent rise. Apparently, the Home Office is taking a more detailed look at knife crimes, we're told, so ministers have changed the way crimes are measured

I think this means officials have realised knife crime was being under reported, buried away in other crime figures perhaps.

That said, convictions for carrying a knife have risen over 60 per cent from 3805 (1998) to 6169 (2007) has increased by more than half in ten years, it has been revealed.

Interesting that more people are being convicted - but are more people also carrying, and using, knives in these times?

There seemed to be progress a while back... now there seems confusion. People in charge seem to be doing a poor job communicating a true picture of the knife crime situation. That is not good. Maybe we need a knife and gun crime tsar?

I noticed the Tories (shadow home secretary Chris Grayling) are trying to make political gains, claiming Labour isn't doing enough to tackle knife crime. An election is looming so they are looking for votes. Is Labour doing an ok job? Can the others do any better? To be honest, it makes me sick to compare parties this way for such an emotive issue. Everyone wants to stop knife crime. These people should work together - and make it clear they are working together - on something as important as this or go back down the strange, power-crazed political hole they just climbed out of.

Long may the crackdown on knife carriers and stabbers continue though - but the crime fighters need to communicate and get their act together better.

To text a stabber, try the Crimestoppers service. And don't forget to vote in the poll at the top of the page on whether you would buy or be ok about using the potentially safer 'anti-stab knife'.

Call to ban knife sales by Trading Standards

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:00:00 +0000

Hey, this is good news - Trading Standards getting involved with banning sales of knives... online.

"Trading standards chiefs have called for a blanket ban on the sale of knives over the internet. Online retailers have ignored repeated warnings to stop selling them to children, the Trading Standards Institute (TSI) said.

"Mystery shopper research found as many as four out of five online stores were prepared to sell knives to children aged under 18, and in one case a 15-year-old boy was able to purchase four knives, including a large machete, using a debit card..."

Read the full 'anti knife crime' story about the call for a ban on blade sales by TSI

(Don't forget to vote in the opinion poll on anti stab knives. Just vote in the box at the top of this website - it literally takes a second of your time.)

Vote now - Opinion poll on anti-stab knives

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:51:00 +0000

Views seem divided about the anti-stab knife. I've added an opinion poll at the top of this blog for visitors to vote on whether they would use or buy one for their kitchen or somewhere else in their home. Please vote now - it is an anonymous poll and takes one second. Many thanks. See more information about this new kind of blade.

New anti-stab knives - coming soon!

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:12:00 +0000

Congratulations to John Cornock, inventor of the new anti-stab knife set to go on sale across the UK before Christmas (can't it be sooner...). Wonder how many lives it could save?

It makes sense for all anti-knife and knife crime campaigners to lead a push to encourage all households to replace kitchen blades with this type of new knife - and perhaps other types of blade too. What does everyone think?

Take a look at John's company website - www.newpointknives.co.uk

While not completely safe, this one has been designed over four years to work in the kitchen, but not be effective as a weapon.

By utilising a unique "combination tip", the tip has a rounded edge (much like my thoughts referred to in a knife crime blog post a couple of years ago) next to a very small point, the cutting blade sits below the blunt area.

Great for chopping veg, the tip makes stabbing quite difficult and it is designed to snag on clothing and skin. Apparently this makes it "very unlikely to inflict a fatal wound" - and tests have proven it to work.

Want to know more about how these stab resistant knives work? Read about the anti-stab design. Some more anti-stab knife info here at The Times Online. Some readers say it's ridiculous but I think it has potential, a step in the right direction. Here's hoping...!

George Kinsella on knife crime and sentencing of his son Ben's killers - video

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:25:00 +0000

Thought I would try to piece together the full text of the emotional but careful and measured reaction from George Kinsella to the sentencing of the killers of his 16-year-old son Ben Kinsella.

To my mind, it was an insightful, informative perspective on this nation's knife crime problem.

I'll add and edit this post over a few days - I need to trawl the web's news sources, get it into reasonable shape and order. Feel free to send your comments or parts of the reaction that I may miss or not got quite right.

Mr Kinsella said: "How many families like ours will have to stand on the street outside the Old Bailey to get justice?

"Knife crime is now sadly embedded in the heart of Great Britain, always running the lives of gangs and feral youths.

"Parents live in fear until their children are safely home. It could be a wrong word, a wrong look or the wrong postcode.

"In Ben's case, it was something which was nothing to do with him at all."

Life sentences for Ben Kinsella's killers - video of reaction and comment from family and officials at the Old Bailey after the knife crime case.

Knife crime statistics in the UK - round-up

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Fri, 29 May 2009 19:45:00 +0000

Knife crime statistics are one of the most common reasons people visit this blog. I thought I'd add a list of current knife facts and figures (all published during this year 2009).

Let me know if these are useful or there are others you are after - just click here to post your views, comments or requests.

Knife crime statistics for London - May 2009

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Mon, 25 May 2009 13:37:00 +0000

Not sure it's great news - but there appears to be progress in London. The Metropolitan Police have announced some knife crime statistics across the capital including figures showing that stabbing injuries are down by almost a third (30%).

A quote from a senior office probably describes the situation realistically: "There is still too much violence, still far too many kids carrying weapons, still far too many kids getting involved in what they would call a gang. This is not job done, it's job ongoing and we've got to maintain our focus."

The police have been arresting people at the rate of one stabber every 51 minutes (arrests have totalled 10266). Some 5480 bladed weapons were seized with most found to carry knives (90%) being charged with a 'possession' offence.

Doubt has been cast on aspects of this statistic reporting with anti-knife campaigners pointing out that many more people are being stabbed than are being reported, indicating accident and emergency statistics provide a more accurate picture.

More details of London's knife crime statistics.

MP ignores anti-knife crime campaign

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Sat, 23 May 2009 05:42:00 +0000

MPs (Members of Parliament) are a very strange breed - and the way the one below showed virtually zero interest in anti-knife campaign work is a proof point to me that there seems little point in voting for these people. I wonder if there's a better way than pinning hopes on unreliable parts of humanity like this. Not worth voting for anyway.

Anyway, to explain, I got in touch with Danny O'Brien, a leader of the Miles Not Knives Campaign (see earlier post), after he mentioned on Facebook that Ilford MP Mike Gapes didn't give him the time of day on an anti-knife crime petition he was organising. Here's Danny's account:

"Mike Gapes is the Labour MP for Ilford and this week I was in the town centre doing my anti-knife petition stall in the town centre.

"I will admit that yesterday was a poor day with only 76 people only signing the petition, but during the afternoon I saw Mr Gapes walking past my stall and I asked if he would back our knife campaign by signing the petition. But he told me "No" as he never signs petitions and just carried on walking not even showing any interest in the campaign.

"I was very suprised that somebody who works for my town could just walk past. I will admit that I did shout out to him that I bet he was quick to sign for his expenses."

I'm sending a copy of this post to various Ilford news media. Here's hoping they follow up this issue with the right honourable gentlemen and we can all be 'honoured' with this MP's time on an important matter which he's shown to be unwilling to give.

Are more young people now reporting the stabbers?

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Sat, 16 May 2009 21:59:00 +0000

If any confirmation was needed that the knife-wielding scourge in this country is a long way from being solved, it is the news that children aged under 10 have been stopped carrying blades.

A total of 31 youngsters under 16 years old were charged last year for being in possession of a knife compared to just a dozen in 2004.

Alarming statistics.

However, there is at least anecdotal evidence suggesting more young people are reporting their peers for carrying knives - which of course could explain the increase and makes it good news.

Keep shopping the stabbers - that's a message we can keep promoting this year. Simply, knife-carrying is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Come on, crime fighters - keep shopping the stabbers!

Contact any or all MPs with this e-tool

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 12:56:00 +0000

Do you want to tell the people elected to sort out this country to increase their efforts? The anti-violence group, MAMAA (Mothers Against Murder And Aggression), has just discovered a very quick and easy way to message every MP in the United Kingdom.

If you have a current cause or campaign - such as knife crime or any other - this free and easy to use tool will simplify and ensure that every Member of Parliament is aware of it.

Called the Parliamentary Megaphone, it allows you to send a message to one, some or all MPs in one go using your email address - which enables replies to be sent to you.

http://www.mensaid.com/megaphone/parliamentary.htm

Useful way to communicate with those that should be pressing for work, change and action to cure our problems and improve our society. Hope this doesn't get shut down because it gets too popular!

(Someone contacted me anonymously to highlight this is a tool that should be credited to equality charity Men's Aid. Happy to do so. Not sure why s/he wanted to be anonymous but that comment is attached to this post.)

Anti-knife crime work on Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 16:36:00 +0000

Anti-knife crime campaigning is alive and well on Facebook. Not sure if readers of this blog are aware but there is a huge number of anti-violence, knife and gun groups on FB.

Here's one I wanted to highlight - the Miles Not Knives Campaign (this is a Facebook link) is one of many worth following. Plenty of activity and many members.

If you wanted to feel you were contributing to the anti-knife campaigning, support Danny and his Facebook group!

When I joined, the organiser Danny O'Brien followed up with a personal message which I publish below to give you a flavour of his dedication etc.

Coming up he has a big fundraising walk some of you football fans may want to support - it's a 24-hour knife awareness walk between Tottenham and Arsenal football grounds starting Saturday May 30 at 10am.

Danny said:

"Thank you for joining my group and for offering your support. I am a novice at this anti-knife group compared to many. I was one of the main organizers of THE PEOPLES MARCH last September, but sadly that group disbanded afterwards and so this year I have formed my own group and already we have hit nearly 1,900 members.

"What I lack in funds etc I make up in time spent online and out explaining the danger of knife crime. I am doing a 24 hour fund raising walk with money going to the Ben Kinsella fund.

"I like to build up my own website, but not that IT clever and also trying to find a cheap price for printing t-shirts etc as I made a promise to make my group as proactive as poss in the battle against knife crime.

"Best Wishes Danny"

BBC Panorama looks at knife crime

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:16:00 +0000

BBC Panorama recently ran a programme about knife crime. I hadn't realised but the number of people convicted for carrying knives is ten times higher than it used to be.

View this insightful knife crime programme using BBC iPlayer

By visiting this nation's prisons, questions considered by Panorama include reasons why UK youths are arming themselves and why some do this with killing in mind.

Some 34 teenagers were stabbed to death in 2008 across Britain. Terrible statistic.

Press request for female crime victims

noreply@blogger.com (mark. chapman) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 21:40:00 +0000

A journalist has contacted me asking for help with violent crime-related stories involving females and court action... If you're interested in helping, you need to get back to me this week please.

"Hi Mark,

"My name's Ash and I hope you don't mind me contacting you like this, but I'm a freelance journalist who writes "real life" stories for women's magazines and as you write a knife crime blog, wondered whether any of your contacts might be interested in sharing their stories of being victims of/related to victims of violent crime?

"I appreciate that sharing their personal story in the press is not something that suits everybody, but in case it's something people you know would consider, I've written up more details below.

"If anyone would like to share their story in one of the publications I write for, then please be assured that an article would be written up really sensitively. They would have copy approval (meaning you can add/amend the final article) and would be paid generously for sharing their story. They would also be able to raise awareness of any charity or organisation they wish through the article.

"I'm also happy to email you copies of my printed work, as proof that I am who I say I am (as I know some people are wary of people contacting them via the internet).

"My editors are currently looking for female survivors/family members of female victims who have taken their attackers to court and have secured a guilty verdict. Do you think you may be able to send this message out to any of your other contacts?

"Hope to hear from you soon, if this is something you might be interested in. Thanks so much. Ash"

Please contact me via the 'Comments' link below if you are interested in contacting Ash. Just type me a message and leave me your contact details - none of this information you send me will be published on the blog.