CR2015 – Violent Crime – Assignment report

Introduction.

Definition.

Knife crime refers to any form of violence that is perpetrated or committed by the use of a knife. Usually, the crime encompasses a myriad of elements such as an under 18 individual buying or conveying a knife, a person carrying a forbidden knife, an individual sabotaging another with the use of a knife, or to the extreme, a person stubbing another by use of a knife.

Introductory Discussion.

In the present time in the United Kingdom, a hot debate has erupted on the increasing cases of knife crimes in order to realize the reasons for the rise of such crimes. Recently according to an Independent digital news brand, knife cases showed a 7% rise in 2019., with the police reporting almost 44,700 offenses in Wales and England that correspond to stabbings by a sharp instrument or a knife. The Office of the National Statistics referring to this number as a new record. One of the most widely recognized knives .offense occurred in the mid-1970s after a man named Ripper Jack murdered a victim. Jack used a knife to cut the throat of the victim to conceal his unfortunate causality after the death of the victim he had murdered. He murdered the other five individuals only to conceal his actions by putting their cutthroat in a plastic pack (Rance, 2002, pp.439-453). Since then, there has been a rise in knife crimes in the United Kingdom, with the majority stated to occur in England and Wales. The increase in Knife crime from the last century could be attributed to the resultant ease of access to knives and increased possession among individuals.

Some studies propose that individuals, particularly those under the age of 18 years, may move along with knives due to a substantial number of knives available in their territories (Boyce, 2000, pp.31-33). As such, they tend to carry knives to feel safe and secure, a situation that easily results in attacks that raise the number of crimes associated with knives and such as sharp objects and instruments. This piece of writing focusses on providing a link of theories, policies, and real-world examples that pay attention to the perpetrators of knife violence and the approach of the justice system, government, and society react to counter acts of knife violence (Wheeldon and Harper, n.d).

Findings on Knife Crime in the UK.

The primary reason why Wales and England record-high number of crimes is directed to poverty situations due to scarcity of resources, particularly money. They commit crimes to afford a living (Humphreys et al., 2019, p311). According to Humphrey and colleagues, such poverty-influenced people would tend to use criminal tactics to acquire cash, especially by moving around with knives to sabotage individuals, threaten and stab for money. They assert two things that contribute to knife crime; money and greed. The two serve as the greatest inspirations to offenders of knife crimes. Additionally, Humphrey et al., (2019), provide that some offenders who particularly use knives to commit crimes corresponding to poor upbringing as an influence. Imagine of individuals who have never ousted from schools or set off for colleges? Crime sounds a better option for them for they lack career, vision and are mostly idle, yet they have to make ends meet. It has been revealed that such people with no good upbringing in terms of academics, ethics, and social livelihood, have a perception that jail life is a lot easier and simpler than the real world. To the extent that others perceive criminal acts as a cheaper way to access money, thus serving them as a worthy decision to undertake.

In March 2015, the Home Office introduced a framework to curb crime outcomes, particularly those resulting from the use of knives. The move resulted in 15% of recorded crimes charged or summoned hence promoted the decline of reported cases of knife crimes that had been more rampant before the new framework. However, these cases still thrive in many instances in the United Kingdom, with reports from the police indicating that about half of the knife offenses (44%) in 2019, resulted to no suspect being identified. Referring to this, Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, says, “This is a damning indictment of 10 years of Tory neglect of policing and effect of cuts. The increase in knife crime offenses leaves the offenders at an all-time high, with charge rates very low.”

The Police Federation (PF), proposed a system to curb the increasing instances of knife crime. They suggested the utilization of extra officers, on top of the rank-and-file officer they are comprised of, to effectively counter the many cases of knife crime. The federation proposed extra specialized forces, for more urgency, and more funding to follow up the pieces of evidence on the crimes. The assistant commissioner Mark Simmons confirms that it is now clear that some causes of violence prove beyond the normal police to deal with the crime solely. He proposed a coalition of agencies. Critiques of the government posing that it is far from clear that the government in question will attain its target of recruiting more officers. They suggest that it is certain that the government will not address some of the fundamental causes of knife crime, alleging that the government does not even intend to. These critical comments come in just after Boris Johnson pledging to restore police numbers as a reactive mechanism to the increased dropped charges and summonses of knife crimes.

England and Wales are multicultural nations; the knife crime acts have expanded, impacting the world, given the fact that many people desire to visit the UK (Ruth, Thompson and Sara, 2019, p.107). The visitors to the UK may feel much insecure given the awareness of the increased knife crimes. Ruth, Thompson, and Sara, (2019), suggest that it should be likewise illegal to transport or hide dangerous weapons that promote savagery and selling knives to underage persons.

Taking the case of 2007/8 statistics by the British Criminal Survey (BCS) study, it established that 10% of the total 2,164,000 cases proved to be non-lethal. The rate has been identified to have stayed beneath 7% since 1995. This proves out that most of the cases relating to knife crime are violent. Studies provide that strike tool is one of the most known weapons in savage crimes, having been utilized in 9% of violent cases. Nonetheless, 68% of crimes considered vicious do exclude weapons. Contrasting to the previous year (2006), according to the survey, violent crimes violations had resulted in a 22% decrease. Despite the fact that the portion of mishaps with knives remained unchanged, the absolute percentage of the mishap was recorded to be lower than the previous year, thanks to the strike tools.

It has been a norm for victims of assistance and crime patterns to mirror the ethnic constituent of the neighborhood population, unlike to consider it is related to a particular culture (Heidt and Wheeldon, 2014). Correspondingly, Brohi, a professor in East London, articulated on the lack of reliable information on knife crime, denoting that most of the knife crime wounds among youngsters are Asians and Blacks. While expressing on Knives, the 20018 MORI overview revealed a missing noteworthy distinction between conveying a knife or a short gun through a race. Moreover, (Flatley, 2017, p.783), discovered that many people aged below the majority age (18 years), from ethnic grounds identified with Blacks and Asians, posited that knife crimes and other instrument-threatening weapons are a major challenge in their localities. Flatley, however, implies that the whites are the most people linked with the possession of knives.

On Monday, 4^th March 2019, the Police Federation described Theresa May as “delusional.” This came after she had insisted that there existed no direct relationship between the number of police officers and the incidents of knife crimes in the county after the country reporting ten deaths of teenagers for the first 9months of the year (2019).  Out of the 10, half of the victims were in London, three in Birmingham and two in Greater Manchester and Sunderland. The perpetrators were linked to reasons surrounding decry to social spending, for having led to limited or no youth centers and opportunities for young individuals. Take, for instance, the case of Moodie, a 14-year-old teenager who was stabbed in January 2019 in East London, becoming the youngest individual to die after a street attack in the capital for a year before. The teenager was butted by a car while riding a moped in Leyton. The teenager was then stabbed by three men repeatedly in a frenzied attack. Ayoub Majdouline, 18 being charged with his murder.

In many other cases, approximately 100 Knife instances were reported in the same year that saw the majority of the culprits who were teenagers succumb to fate. From a hundred reported fatal stabbings in 2019, 83 were reported to be male and 17 females with the majority aged between 19-29 of age. Thirty of the fatal stabbing reported in London, 10 in Greater Manchester, and 8 in the West Midlands, with the rest, spread over other regions in the United Kingdom (Massey, Sherman, and Coupe, 2019, pp. 1-20). According to BBC report in Liverpool, titled, “we have to walk around with knives,” it was reported that during 2016, a blade or knife was used to commit a crime every 16 minutes, somewhere in the UK. In 2015, there were 2,300 victims of knife crime aged below 18 years, yet in 2019, records showed a rise of 45%, in Wales and England just three years of time difference. The Home Office suggests that there needs to be more actions to be taken for the alarming rate of knife crimes. The BBC editorial took a step to meet Liverpool’s self-proclaimed individuals who carry knives all along. This reports totally, denote for a more interagency collaboration to curb the now appearing “normal state” of life.

A large number of youngsters with knives showed that 76% of people or their friends convey their knives for self-defense (Castell, & McClatchey 2017, p.381). While this might be a reason behind personal safety, the young individuals and most those from deprived backgrounds are at risk of safety. In reality, it relies upon the danger of being assaulted to live in distinct territories or different community settings. There is additionally an imminent connection between the knife and casualties of the past. Numerous individuals do not have confidence in their self-defense, and they highly rely on the parents or police to provide security. The inclination that an individual is holding a knife has made an endless loop prompting witness an arms race. Hence, the choice to convey the knife ought to be essential in helping youngsters have a sense of safety rather than causing threat or damages.

Some youngsters out of respect may attempt to gain more respect, particularly in the streets, through conveying knives. They will cause danger or threat using the knife to maintain their respect, treating them more criminally. The 2007 Youth Survey report featured that 6% of individuals conveying knives in the streets aim at scaring others. The measures to handle knife crimes ought to be aimed at tackling the issue of youngsters looking for respect with the illegal use of knives, including bracing trust to oppose peer pressure and attracting violent street culture (Heidt and Wheeldon, 2014). Besides, it is likewise discovered that little kids use as a “caddy” to convey knives for themselves. As per the Violent Crime Reduction Rate 2006, this is a criminal offense which prompts to a punishment of not less than four years.

One of the fundamental purposes behind the huge number of knives is that it is easier to get regardless of the level of income. Moreover, the Youth Equity Board of the Federation of Police has denoted that special knives (for example, hunting knives) and household knives are very easy to obtain or access from anywhere. A kitchen knife is unquestionably a tool and can be illegally used in crimes. Still, it is hard that an illegal weapon can likewise be purchased from various sources, as a rule, people below 18 years can purchase a tool in the store, despite the changing of the law. Even though it is perceived that exploring aspects to decrease the supply of the tools is essential, particularly for the individuals who convey tools and use them purposeless, there is a high possibility that this will fundamentally end knife crimes (Taylor, and Coker 2015, p.64). There is a high possibility that the knife crime offender will ascertain other means. In this way, it is crucial to dispense the inclination to violence among the young people within the society (Wheeldon and Harper, n.d).

Recommendations.

According to Castell, & McClatchey (2017, p.363), covering the correlation or causes of conduct issues at an early age is perceived to enhance the achievement in the mitigation for knife-related violence. A certain percentage of signals among school-age youngsters show steady animosity and enthusiastic deficiency. Also referred to as ruthless functions, the characteristics appear to be natural and very innate conduct. These issues become increasingly recognizable during pre-adulthood, as the requirement for social emotionality builds. Research of the jail population has demonstrated that offender in violent activities regularly experiences rehashed damage of brain in children.

Consequently, there appear to be some innate or acquired attributes that enhance the odds of later captivating in antisocial conduct. However, it is critical to recall that a very small number of individuals who have had head injuries or show signs of cold emotions at their young ages are still insulted. Families in hazard environments or communities at risk ought to be in a new environment wherein these biological elements can prompt knife-related crimes. There are always a couple of variables that must be considered before picking an individual to intercede.

Moreover, other approaches aimed at reducing antisocial behaviors and crimes through the cognitive behavior of young individuals include increasing self-esteem, improving emotional control and decision-making, reducing the impact of peers, and stimulating prosocial relations. Changing the morals and social conditions that youngsters face also plays an essential role in mitigating knife crimes. A positive effect is experienced at the point when a solid power relationship is set up between the task supervisor (coach) and the learners, including youngsters in the sports. The most noticeably terrible outcome is the act of disciplinary mediations, (for example, boot camps) or introduction to youngsters in an unlawful situation, (for example, visiting detainment facilities).

The study of emotional and psychological tools helps in improving one’s behavior. As denoted by Shepherd (2019 p.591), a meta-analysis of an intervention project in schools demonstrated that the technique for encouraging social skills enables us to take care of the issue of contention between reject criticisms, peers and reduce aggressive and antisocial conduct. The subjective social treatment has demonstrated promising outcomes in decreasing antisocial conduct and taking up within one to two years after accomplishment. The subjective social treatment strategies fluctuated, starting with one project, then onto the next project. These intercessions may not be reasonable for all individuals; for instance, it is dicey that youngsters can assess their own contemplations or mentalities, a skill that subjective social treatment requires. A multisystem approach that links parental education with behavioral characteristics is based on distinguishing different dangers and defensive factors in the environment settings (schools, peers, and family) of youngsters. With assistance from guardians, it reinforces the impact of behavioral characterization and reduces the impact of parental education. Multisystem intercessions are more powerful than subjective social treatment in mitigating the recurrent of severe and violent juvenile offenders of knife-related crimes.

The Policy Exchange Centre, as of late brought up that victims of criminal violence, for example, knife crimes, have a 66% probability of violent attackers (Castell, & McClatchey 2017, p.351). However, there is inadequate national intends to provide treatment of injuries as well as follow-up support for the victims either in hospitals or at their homes. Even though some youth teams offer exceptional services to the victims, they, however, lack resources. As an alternative, offering support tools to the victim and counseling can enhance coping with fears and decrease the probability of walking all over with knives among the young people. To tackling with the life stigma, obstacles and overcome the fear, innovative strategies such as offering counseling services to the victims and the family, in general, can be used. Also, it is essential to offer support to young people in the streets and other youth centers.

School projects, for example, conflict resolutions, peer mediation, and counseling with an accentuation on counteracting crimes, are commonly progressively fruitful concerning knife crimes. Behavioral projects have emphasized mostly on crimes and conveying of tools from alternative practices, yet have been damned by certain scientists because a large number of them fail to provide such other alternatives. Qualitative research has also portrayed that youngsters are compelled to work peacefully and socially, which is viewed as deadly or threatening, and people treated in regulated and dangerous ways (Humphreys et al., 2019, p.622). In this manner, the approach of counseling for dealing with offensive behavior and knife-related crimes is quite helpful.

Conclusion.

It can be detonated that knife-related crimes have as of a late increase in England and Wales. This has been explained by the ease of obtaining or possessing knives, which have, on the other hand, led to increased crime cases. In England and Wales, the development of these violations is principally identified with poverty, so individuals commit offenses to be certain that they are paid, money that is illegally obtained. A great number of youngsters from black and minor ethnic backgrounds claim that knives are a major issue in their nation. Most crime victims and offenders are young people and adults aged between 18 to 32 years. It is assumed that coming out with the best approach to identify the major cause of knife crimes can help in reducing knife crime violence. Focusing on reducing antisocial and criminal behaviors among young people by stimulating cognitive activity, reducing peer influence as well as improving their decision making can help mitigate the knife crime issues.

Reference

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