18/02/2008

Government Unveils Knife Crime Plan

Police are to be given airport-style metal detectors in order to help tackle knife crime in England and Wales, under a new action plan launch by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.

The devices are will be collapsible and will be small enough to be transported in the back of a police car and be used outside pubs, clubs, schools and any other venues where knives may be present.

A £1 million awareness campaign, which will aim to convince young people who carry a knife 'for safety' that they are increasing their risk of being stabbed, will also be launched.

The Tackling Violence Action Plan also includes plans to tackle binge drinking and alcohol-related violence.

It includes measures to build on a recent drive to clamp down on the sale of alcohol to under-18s.

Police, probation, health workers and social services will also be asked to share information on individuals considered at risk of offending.

The action plan also includes plans to increase the number of Sexual Assault Referral Centres from 19 to 48.

Controversially, the plan also includes a pilot scheme in four police force areas – Cleveland, Cambridgeshire, Hampshire and Warwickshire – which would allow parents to check whether anyone with unsupervised access to their children had committed any child sex offences.

Launching the action plan, Ms Smith said: "Every shooting or stabbing, every child sexually abused, every case of someone suffering domestic violence is one too many. Serious violent crime accounts for 1% of all crime, but where it does occur, it devastates lives, blights communities with fear and causes terrible suffering, not just for victims, but for their families and friends as well.

"We are determined not to let violence offenders get away with wrecking lives by stopping them committing crimes in the first place. That is why I am today pledging that by 2011, we will have reduced serious violent crime, including gun and gang-related violence, knife crime, sexual and domestic violence and improved the criminal justice response to these offences."

(KMcA)


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