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| Britain | |
| Knife Amnesty for UK Youths | |
| 2006-02-11 | |
| A five-week nationwide knives amnesty is being launched in the summer in an attempt to drive down numbers of stabbings. More than 230 people were stabbed to death last year and concern over levels of knife crime have been highlighted by the killing of City lawyer Tom ap Rhys Pryce last month. Crime in general has risen markedly in the last couple of years and offences of violence in the area where Rhys Pryce was attacked are nearly twice the London average. Only one conclusionÂ…it must be the Knives! Under the amnesty, which will run between 24 May and 30 June in England, Wales and Scotland, members of the public can leave bladed weapons in drop-in bins which will be provided at police stations throughout the country without fear of prosecution. Criminals are also encouraged to drop off any scissors, shears, or anything with a pointy end.
Besides, it is more dignified to be bludgeoned about the head and neck. (ala A Clockwork Orange) He added: "Carrying knives on the streets will not be tolerated. Every weapon handed in during the amnesty will be a weapon that cannot be used in crime." Of course according to ClarkesÂ’ logic that would also suggest that every knife handed in cannot be used to slice bread as well. So there must be some pending legislation on the horizonÂ…and blimeyÂ…here it is. The amnesty coincides with measures in the Violent Crime Bill, which is currently passing through Parliament, which raises the minimum age for buying a knife from 16 to 18. It also gives headteachers the power to search pupils for weapons. There is a clever genius to these programs. It is completely impossible to calculate what impact they might have on crime rates. Should the statistics fall in your favor, slap yourself on the back for a job bloody well done. Should crime rates rise or even remain static there are plenty of other external forces to blame. If this doesnÂ’t succeed, perhaps the next effort is to bring a lawsuit against the cutlery industry. | |
| Posted by:DepotGuy |
| #5 Sometimes I worry about you 'Moose. ;) |
| Posted by: 6 2006-02-11 23:36 |
| #4 Yeah, but what about grapes, bananas, and pointy sticks? |
| Posted by: DMFD 2006-02-11 17:15 |
| #3 What Britain needs now is a prolific and uncatchable strangler. Maybe a garrotte artist. Somebody that terrifies every granny lady on the island. Even better--a headhunter. Finding about a dozen bodies around London, sans head, would do wonders for their weapons control programs. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-02-11 17:08 |
| #2 There is a certain amount of silliness inherent in the Brits. Knives of useful size have been banned since the Knives Act of 1997 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1997/1997021.htm I think it stems from the Government's traditional fear of its own people dating back to the days when Edward I, the Hammer of the Scots, was building castles hither and yon to ensure the peace. A Brit's right to self defense is pretty much limited to yelling loudly. No guns, no crossbows, no knives, no chance. |
| Posted by: RWV 2006-02-11 16:03 |
| #1 *There is a clever genius to these programs yep, my ingenious niece [the vegan one] knows that inanimate objects kill people. |
| Posted by: RD 2006-02-11 14:00 |