The great knife debate
May 30th, 2008More coverage of the unlawful use of knives in our society has resulted in yet another public safety proposal, namely a change in the design of everyday kitchen knives to blunt their ends. Apart from causing me great problems when cutting tomatoes, removing the shartp pointed end from kitchen knives misses the real point about the knife problem, which is growing amongst younger children. Time and time again, when I have asked clients the simple question “why?”, I am told “It was for my own protection.” Far too many youngsters no longer feel safe out and about. I have seen the consequences of knife carrying - serious wounds, life-threatening injury and death.
The “sus” laws were abolished in the wake of the Brixton Riots of 1981 and the Scarman Report. At the time, this was a wise move. We have now moved into an era when the carrying of weapons has to be monitored and discouraged. Parents, schools and police should have the power to check our youngsters for the presence of knives.
It is very easy to puncture someone’s lung with just a quick thrust of a knife into the ribs. It is all too easy to rupture a major vein or artery with the sudden use of a knife. As a society, we must all do more to steer youngsters away from an acceptance that knife-carrying is somehow okay.
Today’s £3m publicity campaign, inspired by young people themselves, is most welcome. We don’t as parents want to be in a position where we lock up our kitchen drawers nightly, but action within family units to deter or discourage the use of knives is necessary. We can’t just look to the police for help; very often, the answer will lie much closer to home.
