Knife crime in Southwark, and nationally, is on the rise. But the ‘quick-fix’ solutions touted by the government are unlikely to be the solution.
Despite the looming general election, both the Conservatives and the Labour opposition have yet to set out their long-term visions for fixing the innumerable crises facing the UK.
The same, however, cannot be said of crime and, in particular, knife crime. Whereas other government departments appear bereft of ideas, plenty is being proposed to stem the rising tide of knife-related offences.
There’s been the crackdown on zombie knives, an expansion of stop-and-search and there is even talk of introducing mandatory prison sentences for first-time knife possession. It’s good to see our MPs are finally taking the issue seriously. But many are concerned that these measures fail to get to the root of the problem, which some say begins with poverty and underinvestment in public services. The statistics reinforce this sense that increasing knife crime isn’t as simple as it seems on the surface. While knife offences are increasing overall, homicides are relatively static and, in some areas, down compared to 2019.
What does this tell us? Perhaps it suggests that, far from people becoming inherently more violent, desperate times are pushing people to desperate places. Maybe increases in knife-point robberies, but simultaneous falls in homicides, suggest people are increasingly stealing for a living.
Southwark Councillor Natasha Ennin described the issue of knife crime as “complex and systemic” and this seems fair. Knife crime is not the cause of national malaise, but a symptom, and this is something political leaders must realise.
