What are the reasons behind the escalating knife crime figures?

After research into the figures of growing knife crime in teenagers, my mind has been going over and over why these figures have increased and what can be done about it.

Knife crime goes back quite a few years with gangs being active and stabbings between members happening every now and then, however the scenario has worsened as the streets are being ruled by gangs fueled by drugs and alcohol and a sharp weapon in their pocket to be used on someone who may look at them in the wrong way like 14 year old Martin Dinnegan or for simply trying to help break up a fight like 18 year old Rob Knox. The fast growing numbers of teenagers dying from stab wounds have created a moral panic in the public, causing parents to worry every time their children step out of the house and wondering if they will get a chilling phonecall or a knock on the door from police saying their precious child has had their life taken away by an evil person who decided to carry a knife.

It may seem that this culture is mostly present in males, however there have been a few cases where females have been stabbed to death like Sian Simpson or a female has infact been the person with the knife like Sian's killer Chelsea Bennett. No teenager in England can be seen as safe now whenever they leave their house and take to the streets for a night out with friends. I know for a fact my own mother worries so much about me now and is constantly texting me and calling me when I am out somewhere just to make sure I am alright and then staying up very late just so she can give me a lift home when I come home very late at night after being out with friends.

The constant involvement of stabbings in the media has caused a crisis in this country causing parents to worry, teenagers to be scared and then even more knife carrying teenagers for either self defence or to follow the 'trend'. One of the reasons behind the ever growing stabbings may be the press coverage that these stories have in the media, with it being talked about every day, teenagers may be tempted to carry a knife themselves to see what it is like. It can be similar to how violent video games may influence teenagers as the media may be seen as 'advertising' knife crime and teenagers may take it the wrong way.

Another reason behind it may be family life in the UK. The traditional family has been attacked and it has got to the point that the family where one parent is at home, and the other is working is the most taxed in this country. Yet it is with the nuclear family that most get the moral guidance from. In addition the rise of divorce has meant that the responsibility to each other that was also present in families no longer is and now generations exist who have not had this basic form of moral guidance. With the emptiness of that one parent that isn't there, teenagers are more likely to be more 'troubled' and the one parent that they do have may not be able to cope handling them or controlling them. Many teenagers may see carrying a knife as fun and it is just a game.

There have been many debates as to why knife crime in teenagers has increased over the last few years but how are we to know what is actually causing it?
Some people blame the video games teenagers are constantly playing such as Grand Theft Auto or Call Of Duty, some people blame the type of music they listen to like 50 Cent who glamourises killing other people and some people just blame the parents for not being responsible and taking control of their child.