Education is key to tackling knife crime

The number of teenagers stabbed to death in the UK this year is almost 30 and rising weekly, while incidents of shootings and serious child on child violence are reported widely across all media.  This week, the Home Office launched an explicit campaign to tackle knife crime, following from announcements on stop and searches, and metal detectors in public places, including schools.  The Government wants to be seen as one that is acting swiftly and assertively, but are these measures going to have the desired effect? 

Unfortunately, it would appear as though the prevailing attitude coming from Government is one of incoherent fire-fighting. Hard-hitting viral campaigns, metal detectors in schools, and tougher punishments for carrying weapons, are all decent strategies which will hopefully have an immediate impact on violent youth behaviour, but they smack of prescriptive, stop-gap responses, and I'm not convinced they're enough.

Now, I welcome any new measure aimed at protecting young people, and I agree that we must deter young people from carrying weapons.  But, in order to change the culture of fear and violence amongst our youth, we have to address the root causes of conflict and violent behaviour in the first place. 

The problem of child on child violence is linked to education and how a young person is brought up.  What we are seeing is young people using violence, fear and exclusion to intimidate and threaten others.  It's been widely reported that most of those carrying weapons today are doing it out of fear, not intent. It is bullying in its most extreme form. 

This is clearly not a problem that will be solved overnight.  We have no idea what impact the stop and search strategy will have, nor the £3million anti-knife campaign, but each is likely to have a limited effect if we don't back them up with a comprehensive education strategy.  It's not just a school's responsibility though, parents, professionals, and everyone in the community must realise that they have a role to play, and a duty, to prevent further needless violence.

What we need is a joined up, coherent strategy to educate our young people in conflict resolution, anti-violence and anti-bullying behaviour.  Intervene early against bullying and we can affect the growing culture of knife crime and gang related behaviour.  It’s time to look beyond trying to patch up a problem with disjointed, prescriptive acts, and deliver a preventative solution to benefit every young person, and society as a whole, so that we do not fail the next generation.

For a more detailed response, read Emma-Jane's statement here.

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