Introduction
Although the crime was always a major problem in the United Kingdom, its subcategory of knife-related crimes has exploded in recent years. This form of crime is not only dangerous but also pervasive because of its impact on British youth. The popularity of such weapons can be partly explained by their availability for many, but they are also highly lethal, which results in many deaths or complications if aid is provided. Therefore, an epidemic of knife crimes in the UK is a result of three most significant and impactful forces, which have roots in a social context, court system, and historical context.
Article Summary
The first article focuses on the recent observations made by Alan Walsh, who is the founder of the ‘Real Men Don’t Carry Knives’ awareness campaign. It is reported that “he said he had seen a boy aged seven who had been slashed with “a machete across his hands”, and knew of children the same age carrying knives” (Foran, 2022, para. 3). The piece highlights the pervasiveness of knife crime as an epidemic among the younger generations of the United Kingdom. It is important to note that “Mr. Walsh runs Anfield and North Liverpool Boxing Club, which he uses to steer youngsters away from gangs and knife culture” (Foran, 2022, para. 8). In other words, so-called ‘gangs and knife culture’ is a major piece of this type of crime problem because children and adolescents exposed to these influences become subjected to carrying knives. The aggression generated by such a culture facilitates the use and carry cold weapons in self-defense against violence. It is also stated that “We were starting to get a handle on [knife crime], but it’s just gone crazy” (Foran, 2022, para. 15). Thus, the rate of knife crimes is increasing and becoming more prevalent among younger individuals.
The second article addresses knife crime in the UK within the context of class inequality. The narrative revolves around Yousef Makki, a 17-year-old boy who was stabbed to death by two other teenagers (Segalov, 2022). The perspective of the reflection is based on Yousef’s sister Jade Akoum, who witnessed first-hand the ineffectiveness of the justice system. Yousef, his sister, and his family are members of the working class (Segalov, 2022). The stabbers were Josh Molnar and Adam Chowdhary, who murdered the teenager (Segalov, 2022). It is reported that “both boys came from wealthy families; they were defended by three senior QCs and a well-respected junior” (Segalov, 2022, para. 13). In other words, it was an attack of two adolescents from the upper class on a lower class underage person. There was an attempt to silence the victims, and these rich families were able to hire better lawyers to direct the blame on the victim, where the trial outcome was unsatisfactory for the family.
Course Concepts
Social Context
The nature, content, and context of knife crime in the United Kingdom can be explained by the use of three key course concepts, which include social context, the court system, and historical context. In the case of the former, it is evident that social class plays a key role in the emergence of knife crimes across the UK. It was shown that gang and knife culture plays a critical role in facilitating the use of cold weapons not only as a form of aggression but also as self-defense. Children as young as 7 years old carry knives to be a part of the sociocultural context (Foran, 2022). It is a form of the perpetual self-reinforcing phenomenon, where one’s aggressive behavior manifests in a prevalent use of knives as lethal instruments. The second article also showed how social context could heavily impact the spread of knife culture, which is not exclusive to the lower class only. The upper-class youth can also engage in this form of violence and crime, which further supports the impact of the gang culture on the younger generations.
Therefore, knife crime prevalence in the nation can be explained through the prism of social forces. It is stated that poverty and social perception of a problem can impact how it is addressed and prevented (Jones et al., 2021). The statement is supported by the fact that the Scottish model of response to knife crime was far more effective at reducing the rate than the rest of Britain (Roberts, 2020). Scotland treated knife culture as a public health issue rather than policing one (Roberts, 2020). Violence reduction units “worked with the NHS and social services to nurture those who were likely to join a gang: youths from poorer backgrounds and those who had been left behind by the education system” (Roberts, 2020, para. 3). The result was a substantial reduction in knife crime in Scotland compared to the UK.
Court System
The court system also plays a role in knife crime prevalence in the UK. As stated in the second article, trials are not solely based on justice, and poor families are vulnerable to such crimes (Segalov, 2022). In addition, the policing approach of the UK to knife crime mainly addresses the symptoms of the deeper problem of gang culture (Roberts, 2020). The political influence on underfunded policing in poorer regions of the nation can also be the cause of the problem (Jones et al., 2021). Therefore, the court system is inclined to incarcerate the lower class and leave the upper class unpunished, which explains why knife crime is spreading across all socioeconomic groups.
Historical Context
The historical context of the emergence of knife crime is linked to how it appeared. The regulations around policing structure in disadvantaged regions, alongside a tight regulation of firearms, leave these people vulnerable to gang culture. Cold weapons become prevalent due to their accessibility if other forms of weapons are inaccessible. Decreased police funding and a lack of community-based policing can also be contributing factors to the issue (Jones et al., 2021). In other words, the historic abandonment of the lower class gives rise to knife crime in the UK.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is important to note that an epidemic of knife crimes in the UK is due to three major influences, which are manifested in the social context, court system, and historical context. It should be noted that the problem mainly impacts the lower social classes and poorer regions, which become a breeding ground for gang and knife culture. However, the latter’s recent spread to the upper class can be explained by the court system, which is tilted to be favorable for wealthier families. The historical context provides insight into how cold weapons became popular, which is tied to the tight regulation of firearms, the lack of support for the poorer communities, and underfunded policing measures.
References
Foran, K. (2022). Knife crime: Kids aged seven carrying knives, Liverpool campaigner says. BBC News.
Jones, B., Norton, P., & Hertner, I. (2021). Politics UK. Routledge.
Roberts, R. (2020). A history of violence: The story of U.K. knife crime so far. The Organization for World Peace.
Segalov, M. (2022). ‘Some days I really struggle’: Jade Akoum on the killing of her schoolboy brother.The Guardian UK.