The Home Secretary's latest big idea is unlikely to provide the quick fix the Government is hoping for

 

Less than two months have passed since Jacqui Smith revealed a new plan of action to combat youth violence with the Tackling Gangs Action Programme.

It coincided with the launch in London of Operation Blunt 2, a high profile campaign against knife crime, and Boris Johnson’s announcement that the issue would also be his key focus.

 

This weekend, with knife attacks and murders still apparently rising unchecked, Ms Smith is talking of “shock tactics” to bring teenagers to their senses.

Apparently this will involve dragging youths into casualty wards to show them the gory details of the damage that knives do to human flesh.

 

Consultant surgeons in parts of south London already tour schools in trouble-spots, showing pictures of wounds and offering children graphic accounts of what happens when someone is stabbed.

 

The doctors also give a more accurate reflection of the scale of the problem than anything contained in crime statistics: one spoke earlier this year of treating 318 people with knife and gunshot wounds at one south London hospital A&E unit over 12 months.

 

The Government’s latest attempt to find an answer to urban violence, or rather come up with a plausible-sounding initiative, looks like more political floundering. The appointment of a senior police officer to come up with another strategy might sound good but is not going to solve the problem.

 

The issues of youth gang violence are tied up with schools, communities and families as well as policing. They will defy political quick fixes and cry out for fresh thinking and strong leadership.

 

Source: Sunday Times

How many more initiatives will they come up with next week?

The issues of youth gang violence are tied up with schools, communities and families as well as policing. They will defy political quick fixes and cry out for fresh thinking and strong leadership.

 

Source: Sunday Times

How many more initiatives will they come up with next week?

 

For once the Sunday Times is completely spot on.... There is NOT going to be a quick fix solution to this, idiotic ideas such as this one will do nothing... The ONLY thing that will make an impression is for the Govt to take the bull by the horns and start locking these bloody people up, and for a DAMN LONG TIME..... Sounds a bit un-liberal coming from me....? Well, maybe after hearing about a 16 year old girl being beaten to death by a gang of lowlife Chav scum simply because she had dreadlocks I've grown absolutely sick of this sh!t...... <_<

Apparently this will involve dragging youths into casualty wards to show them the gory details of the damage that knives do to human flesh.

 

I'm sorry, but if someone stabs me, there ain't no way on God's green earth I'm going to allow him/her to see me in hospital.

I'm sorry, but if someone stabs me, there ain't no way on God's green earth I'm going to allow him/her to see me in hospital.

 

Same here....

 

Think this will have to be re-thought. Saw a doctor talking about this on the news today and he certainly didn't want offenders in a busy hospital department. The doctors and nurses have enough to do and it will hardy help the patients.