Ban To Cut Out Knife Crime?

So Blunkett proposes yet another ban - to stop under 18s buying knives, because so many crimes involve knives, and youths arm themselves with them. Apart from creating more types of crime, and inconveniencing people, it will have no effect.

The trouble is the problem is not with buying knives, or using knives, but with using them as weapons.

I had a sheath knife as a Scout (I may even have had one as a Cub, but I can't remember), and many - perhaps most boys - had penknives, perhaps they still do. Boys generally have knives for innocent purposes, and I believe it is a good thing for them to learn how to use them and look after them.

The underlying problem signalled by knife crime is that the police are not policing properly. They generally react to, but don't prevent crimes. (Perhaps I am being kind, because many people complain the police don't even react to crimes).

My local police station is large, and its car park looks pretty busy. But how many police do we see on the street? On the beat? Very few. What on earth are the rest doing?

Clean up crime on the street, and keep it cleaned up.

Why should people pay to have their police huddled inside stations and cars? We want them on the streets! There are heaps of police, you just can't see them. Is it any wonder that people are increasingly employing their own security firms? They shouldn't have to - or if they should, they shouldn't have to pay for the police too.

If you're going to ban knives, what about all hand tools? All sharp objects and implements? Where does it stop? Razor blades?

There will be 16 year olds who have set up home and will be unable legally to buy common kitchen utensils and household tools. How absurd!

For more questions, see Spy Blog, which kindly brought this my attention.