Many of us think that a Knife attack only effected those who belonged to a gang. Yet recent statistics show a different picture. It is now estimated that 75% of those caught with a knife have no connection to gangs.
It is apparent that knife crime isn’t simply a case of youths using blades to inflict injuries on rival gang members but is much more than that. How many of us who hear about these crimes are only truly affected by them when a friend, family member or someone we know becomes a victim of it.
The consequences of a violent outburst can be devastating. In a split second, a family’s life can be changed forever.
Living in a area of the city that is considered safe should not exclude us from making it our concern to find out the reason why this is happening and make a simple effort in our own lives to not perpetuate this harmful mindset, that to look at ourselves and try to understand the underlying cause of the problem.
The evidence suggests scare tactics don’t work. It’s mostly about working with young people, having proper, ongoing conversations with young people about what it’s like to live in their area, what’s going on in their lives and trying to help them.” It has been proved that so-called hard men are also living in fear, thinking everyone’s out to get them. Nobody can live like that – it really is a damaging cycle of fear, danger and stress. But when they become ready to make a big change, we have to be ready to offer them positive life choices."
Article by Robert F. Hesketh
Lecturer in Criminal Justice, Liverpool John Moores University
To educate, inspire and empower young people to take control of their future by rejecting the gang lifestyle
Reflects the amazing turnaround of a Bloods gang in Ecuador who, inspired by Prem Rawat years ago, began a journey of shifting their efforts from violence to peace.