Crime Case Study: Knife Crime in Scotland

Aims: Examine the problem of knife crime in Scotland. Consider measures which have been introduced to tackle knife crime. Success Criteria: You will produce a report about Knife Crime in Scotland and consider the arguments for and against mandatory jail sentences.

What Is Knife Crime? Carrying or trying to buy a knife if you are under 18. Threatening people with a knife. Carrying a knife that is banned. A murder where the victim was stabbed with a knife. A robbery or burglary where the thieves carried the knife as a weapon. Knife crime has a direct link to gang crime and the drinking and fighting culture at weekends.

Panorama – Jailed For a Knife Crime Part One Part Two

Knife Crime in Scotland This type of crime actually makes up a small percentage of total crimes in the UK. However, the extent of the injuries which are caused by knife crime makes it a serious issue. In recent years, there has been a great deal of news coverage about knife crime. The SNP Government has made tackling knife crime a major priority – in 2010, 35 people were killed by a sharp instrument.

Tackling and Preventing Knife Crime There has been a record increase in stop-and- search across Scotland – the police can stop and search anyone whom they have reasonable grounds for suspecting that they are carrying an offensive weapon or an article with a blade or point. Education initiatives such as ‘No Knives, Better Lives’ have tried to education people about knife crime. The courts can impose a four-year sentence on someone carrying a knife. Since 2007 there has been a 30% in offensive weapons crime.

Mandatory Jail Sentences Some campaigners argue there should be mandatory sentences (a set amount of years) for those carrying a knife or killing someone with a knife. However critics argue there are better ways to tackle knife crime than increasing the number of people in prison.

Knife Crime Research Pick one of the high profile stabbing cases on page 2 of your Knife Crime handout. Using the internet carry out some research about this crime. Think about what happened? Was anyone arrested for this crime? What punishment did they receive. Aim to produce a short paragraph on the case you are researching.