Lord Dholakia, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, has called for better interventionist programmes to arrest the rising number of knife crimes in the country.
“We need to look at more constructive solutions”, he said during a debate in the House of Lords on 27 June on the impact of government policy on knife crime.
“I see little point in passing short custodial sentences on young people apprehended for carrying a knife. They have much higher reoffending rates than any other form of sentence.”
Adding to the problem, custodial sentences for carrying knives have increased due to the minimum sentencing guidelines for a second offence, he noted.
These sentences, aimed as a deterrent, “have not stopped knife crime rising”, nor have the increased stop and search policies.
“Study after study has found little correlation between the use of stop and search and the rate of knife crime or violence generally”, Lord Dholakia stated.
“The resentment the heavy-handed and racially disproportionate use of stop and search produces in young people all too often drives them into the arms of gangs, rather than achieving the opposite”.
Lord Dholakia, instead, proposed stronger community sentences, that “provide the opportunity for intensive work to tackle the attitudes that lead offenders to carry knives”.
He also suggested to rope in “matured” former offenders in these programmes.
“Former offenders who have now matured and seen for themselves the awful, negative consequences of carrying weapons….. can often act as credible and positive role models for young people,” he said.
According to official statistics, there were 285 fatal stabbings in England and Wales in 2018, the highest level since records began more than 70 years ago.
