Youths accused of fatal stabbing

Suspects accused of fatally stabbing a man taking his young daughter to visit his wife and newborn son in hospital, have been described by police as young, black males. The attack took place in Croydon yesterday.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7860342.stm

Guardian highlights growing concerns over knife crime with specific area on site

The Guardian has a whole area of their website on knife crime, with latest news stories, updates on crime stats and a POV.

They're also showing the latest Met Police anti knife crime ad and the stab wounds video. There's a mention of the Home Office campaign but you have to hunt around for the bebo link.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/knifecrime

They're reporting, but not backing any specific campaign (unlike The Mirror, who have the Stop Knives, Save Lives campaign).

Teen stabbed to death in London

Two teenagers are being questionned in London following the stabbing of a 15yr old in Plaistow on Saturday night.

The boy had attended a party at a church hall, the aim of which was to raise funds for activities in the local community. This is the first violent death of 2009, and follows the non-fatal stabbing of a teenager in broad daylight last week.

http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/rbnews/4045710.STH_WOODFORD__Teen_stabbed_in_broad_daylight/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7849658.stm

Jacqui Smith quizzed on knife crime

Newsbeat and 1Xtra listeners met with home secretary Jacqui Smith to voice their concerns and ask her opinion on a range of issues including knife carrying. It's all over the airwaves today.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/the_p_word/newsid_7844000/7844070.stm

Overall the responses she gave have been reported as being 'textbook' - this was percieved negatively, it was felt that she was impersonal and did not truly consider their viewpoints. It was a great opportunity for the government to show that it does care about the views of the average Brit, sadly she didn't quite pull it off...

Gangs recruit using social networking sites

The Independent has reported a disturbing trend for the recruitment of young people into gangs, using social networking sites (and specifically mentioning bebo).

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/social-websites-lure-youngsters-into-gangs-1063439.html

Although focused on a police investigation in Norwich, it is clear that this is potentially a widespread activity.

British pupils scared of gang-related violence in schools

Teaching union NASUWT has published a study (which will be delivered to the education secretary today) reporting that children are wearing safety vests to school, afraid that they will be a victim of gang violence:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/scared-pupils-wear-stab-vests-in-school-1419281.html

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/01/19/terrified-british-children-now-wear-bulletproof-vests-to-school-115875-21052205/

One pupil's comment highlights the feeling that carrying is necessary “I can protect myself with a knife or a gun. I would rather be arrested than dead.” Teachers claim that they increasingly feel as though they are personally responsible for the safety of their pupils, are themselves put at risk, and call for more support from the community to limit violence in schools. The report supports the calls for metal detectors in schools, one of the Mirror's Stop Knives, Save Lives campaign.

Although concerning, the report adds fuel to a moral panic which is already high on the agenda - leaving average Joe public more worried than ever about 'out of control' teens and feeling unempowered. There is limited coverage in UK national press, but internationally the press have leapt upon the story:

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,24931840-401,00.html

Interestingly, given what we know about our target audience and their levels of exclusion, it is stated that many kids see school as a refuge from the dangers in the outside world:
"However, many pupils saw school as a "safe haven" compared with the outside – even though intruders had arrived intent to injure other pupils."

Government calls for anti-gang orders

The BBC reported today that Jacqui Smith has called for injunctions against gangs to be brought in, following a case in Birmingham last year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7825314.stm

It also called for more data sharing between hospitals and the police, so that officers will know quicker when a stabbing has taken place. This will also allow for the Home Office to collect more accurate figures on victims.

Reflection on the negative perceptions of young people in society - and what impact this has.

Mark Easton writes for the BBC on 'The year we lost the kids'.

Following on from Time magazine's report on Brit's fear of their own children, Easton comments on the breakdown of relations between adults and kids. He identifies a clear and tangible distance between the two; on the one hand there is increasing disenfranchisment from the kids, who are seen as withdrawing (or being forcibly outcast) from society, on the other we have a society which reacts with horror when informed of child abuse cases but that devours media reports of young people as lawless, dangerous criminals, to be treated with suspicion and contempt.

"From Shannon Matthews to Baby P, we despair at the cruelty to children, but then casually describe young people as behaving like animals, as vermin which infests our streets."

Easton reflects on how as a society, we seek to protect our youngsters but then devalue their role by reinforcing prejudiced views of them as feral and out of control, thus leading to a situation where we withold support and guidance, and turn a blind eye to the situations which lead to kids getting into trouble.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markeaston/2008/12/the_year_we_lost_the_kids.html