Fear of knife crime makes a nonsense of falling crime statistics

12.32.32pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 7th Jul 2008

With yet another death from knife wounds reported in London this morning, fear of knife crime is rising. Deputy Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson announced that knife crime is now the Metropolitan Police's number one priority, overtaking terrorism, and that a special knife-crime unit was being set up. Commenting, Tooting Liberal Democrat Spokesperson, Stephanie Dearden said, "This comes as no surprise when we read almost daily of yet more and more young people failing victim to senseless killings on our streets. Ministers have repeatedly claimed that crime is falling, but figures show serious attacks that require hospital admission are up. What is most disturbing is the steep rise in serious stab wounds amongst young people. Teenagers don't feel safe on our streets, which is only fueling the spiral of knife crime in this country, and especially here in London."

"I have serious concerns over the validity of Police crime statistics, which showed a fall in crime in Wandsworth last year, even violent crime," continues Stephanie. " I think that the Police are excluding many less serious offences, including possession of knives and stabbings that caused only minor injuries. But deaths from stabbings have clearly increased across the capital. Eighteen teenagers have been killed in London already in just over six months this year, a much higher rate than in 2007 when 26 were killed in twelve months - already shockingly high."

"This makes a mockery of the government's spending of billions on unworkable and unnecessary ID cards, which simply won't help fighting crime on our streets. We need better policing, better services for young people and stronger community leadership everywhere. We must end the somebody-else's problem society."

Related Link:

Knife crame to replace terror as police priority - The Times.