KNIFE CRIME: 'IT'S A FASHION THING' !!!!

[Daanyeer]

Source: http://news.sky.com/
June 5, 2008 Author: Mark Stone

Two gang members have told Sky News that killing someone is seen as a status symbol and said the recent spate of knife murders is just "fashion".

'Killing someone makes you bigger'"If you kill someone that just makes you bigger or something," one said, identifying himself only as "Little-tastic".

Younger Archer, 16, said: "It's a fashion thing at the moment for everyone to be killing everyone."

Neither of them carries a knife now but they know plenty of people who do.

"We used to, but not anymore. It's stupid. Our friends have gone to jail for doing things they shouldn't have."

Sixteen young people have been stabbed to death in London alone this year.

Gordon Brown has pledged to prosecute, rather than caution, anyone over the age of 16 found carrying a knife.

Current police guidance is to prosecute adults caught with a knife, but only to caution those under 18.

The Prime Minister has said that must change: "It is right that when we see young teenagers, below the age of 18, carrying knives, that the presumption that we prosecute should now extend to 16-year-olds as well, and that is what the Government proposes."

But is the threat of prosecution enough?

Daryl James is a gang member turned youth worker. He thinks the Prime Minister has got it all wrong.

"What I would say to Gordon and to the Government is that you need to take a look at the people you're taking your advice from," he told Sky News.

"They're telling you to do things, and you're taking it as the right thing to do.

"But they have not dealt with this problem. They've allowed this problem to fester like a bad cancer."

In Birmingham, community leaders have a different solution. They have set up a community centre to engage their young.

"We're giving them different diversionary activities which they find interesting to keep them away from that particular type of culture," said project leader Basharat Najib.

The teenagers at the centre agreed it was working.

"This youth club has calmed all the youths down," said Tauseff Hussain, "There's nobody going around fighting anymore."

But while the Government can listen, it is those carrying knives that need to act.

The message from Younger Archer from the south London gang was simple: "Put down the guns and knives and focus on your life."