Once again, after another week of highly gruesome knife murders, the government has introduced yet another crackdown on youth crime. Rightly, critics from the opposition politicians to victims’ families and those working with young offenders, dismissed these plans as yet another gimmick.
There is a huge problem with knife crime in Britain. But very little is done to combat the problem from its roots and causes. Many of the government’s harsh policies towards young people during its current reign has contributed to the crisis. Talk of targeting problem families and increasing stop-and search will further increase alienation from those they should be helping.
Here are a few, obvious questions:
- Where is the help for our children at schools?
- Where are the youth clubs?
- Where is the support for families, particularly in the cities?
- Why is it that increasing numbers of our young people prepared to turn to violence to resolve issues that were not entirely their fault in the first place?
Answer: it’s the government, stupid!