I've posted something similar before, but this been updated...... How Scotland stemmed the tide of knife crime By Paul O'Hare BBC Scotland news website 4 March 2019 please log in to view this image The number of murders in Scotland has more than halved over the last decade Home Secretary Sajid Javid has condemned the "senseless violence" that has seen a rise in the number of teenagers being stabbed to death across the UK. In London, a Violence Reduction Unit is now up and running in a bid to tackle the number of teenagers dying as a result of knife crime. It is based on a ground-breaking approach used in Scotland. Scotland's Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) was set up to stem the tide of knife crime which saw Glasgow become Europe's murder capital. From its formation in 2005 the VRU proposed a fresh approach to tackling the problem. Its key message was that gang-related stabbings and slashings were not just a policing issue but a public health issue. The unit's motto was a simple one: "Violence is preventable, not inevitable." In 2004/05 there were 137 homicides (which include murder and culpable homicide figures) in Scotland - in Glasgow, there were 40 cases alone, double the national rate. By 2016/17 the number had more than halved to 62. Last year this had reduced by a further three to 59. A sharp instrument was the main method of killing for 34 (58%) of those cases and all but one of them involved a knife. This homicide figure was the joint lowest number of recorded homicide cases for a single 12-month period since 1976. please log in to view this image Image copyright JUSTICE ANALYTICAL SERVICES Over the years the VRU has worked closely with partners in the NHS, education and social work. It has stressed the importance of positive role models and its projects have been shaped by statistics. Home secretary: 'Knife crime can't go on' Can knife crime be stopped before it starts Knife crime deaths at highest level since WW2 London violent crime 'a public health issue' Former director John Carnochan once showed me a jagged graph of violent crime in Glasgow. It included many spikes but at one point it plummeted dramatically. Mr Carnochan explained: "That was Valentine's Day." Love may virtually halt violence once a year but other factors have helped Glasgow shed its unwanted reputation as No Mean City. BBC Scotland looks at five key aspects of the VRU's work. please log in to view this image Singer Frankie Vaughan addresses gang members in Easterhouse Gangs Glasgow's gang culture was highlighted in the 1960s when singer Frankie Vaughan visited Easterhouse to speak to young people. He famously convinced rival leaders to shake hands and give up their weapons. Fast forward four decades and the then Strathclyde Police Chief Constable Sir Stephen House invited teenagers from some of the most deprived areas of the city to Glasgow Sheriff Court. The symbolism was powerful as Sir Stephen urged them to renounce violence or risk returning to the court for real. The VRU made bold statements to young people in simple, no nonsense terms. For example, chalk outlines of a body and a knife once appeared in 15 areas identified as gang trouble spots. Officers also proactively visited suspected gang members, targeted their meeting places and monitored their activity on early social networking sites, such as Bebo. please log in to view this image The notorious MS-13 street gang was formed in LA by immigrants from El Salvador US influence The VRU sought inspiration from across the Atlantic in its bid to make Glasgow's streets safer. Within two years of implementing Operation Ceasefire in 1995, Boston had reduced violent crime by about 50%. In 2009 the VRU launched the Community Initiative to Reduce Violence (CIRV). It was designed to offer young people an alterative to gang membership, such as youth clubs, as well as the prospect of training and work. Former offenders were drafted in to share their experiences with the next generation. In 2011 police said the CIRV had resulted in a 50% reduction in violent offending by those taking part. Even among gang members who refused to participate, data indicated a 25% fall in the number of offences committed. please log in to view this image Callum, from the east end of Glasgow, has been stabbed multiple times Health In 2008 six surgeons who had witnessed first-hand the devastating impact of knife crime formed Medics Against Violence (MAV). One of its early projects involved sending senior doctors into schools to share their harrowing experiences. MAV also produced a 15-minute film, called Your Choice, and devised lesson plans to help stimulate a debate. The organisation encouraged knife-crime victims to co-operate with the police as research showed many attacks went unreported. It has also informed national debates, such as the case for minimum alcohol pricing. Earlier this year Dr Christine Goodall, of MAV, said more than 80% of assault victims in hospital emergency departments had been drinking, as had the people who had assaulted them. The VRU's holistic approach was illustrated at an anti-violence conference at the Scottish Police College. It included a session by Canadian parenting expert Mary Gordon which highlighted the importance of empathy. please log in to view this image Sexting has become a major problem among young people Education The VRU launched a mentoring project in schools which is designed to combat the emerging threat of cyberbullying and encourage children to stay safe online. Former Chief Insp Graham Goulden, said the scale of the problem should not be underestimated in light of the "sexually toxic environment" children are growing up in. The Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) initiative teaches young people leadership skills to help them support their fellow pupils. The scheme, which was devised by US academic Jackson Katz, also coaches young people to challenge offensive behaviour. During workshops, pupils are asked questions such as: "Is it sometimes ok to send a sexually explicit photo to another person?" The debates that follow aim to make teenagers think more carefully about their actions and what is acceptable behaviour. Meanwhile, VRU deputy director Will Linden has credited a dramatic reduction in school exclusions in Scotland over the last decade as a key factor in keeping children out of trouble. please log in to view this image Offenders must be free from drugs and alcohol to get onto the 12-month training programme aimed at turning their lives around Opportunity One of the VRU's key objectives is to offer young people an alternative path. In 2010, Brigadier David Allfrey, a former commander of 51 Scottish Brigade in Stirling, ran an adventure and leadership training scheme with former gang members. And two years later he handed five men, aged 18 to 25, a role in the world-renowned Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The ex-offenders, from the east end of Glasgow and Kilmarnock's Onthank estate were stationed at Redford Barracks in Edinburgh for the duration of the event. During each performance they moved props around and performed. Brigadier Allfrey, the Tattoo's chief executive and producer, said: "There is enormous human potential wrapped up in these young men." The VRU was also influenced by LA-based Homeboy Industries, which offers gang members employment in its cafes. One such example is Street & Arrow in Glasgow's West End, which launched in 2016. It offers modern street food served from an airstream truck and hires former offenders for 12-month blocks. Workers are paired with a mentor who can help them master everything from basic employment skills, like turning up on time, through to debt management and relationship issues.
More police of course would help but how exactly do you regain respect ? Any one in a uniform nowadays is initially disrespected Say again the culture is done for FFS the governance is as weak as it has ever been to them it starts and ends with money Self obsessed bastards look how they have handled the last two years Time to get tough
one of our own hes one of our own Kiwi 'Bumbling Jihadi' Mark Taylor captured in Syria, may be sent back to New Zealand Mon, Mar 4 A New Zealander who converted to Islam and joined ISIS has surrendered to Kurdish forces and is now being held in a Syrian prison. Australia's ABC reports Mark Taylor, who is a former New Zealand Defence Force soldier, is now in custody as the caliphate he served for years as a border guard crumbled under military pressure. Taylor, who also goes by the names Mohammad Daniel and Abu Abdul Rahman and is originally from Hamilton, had his visa cancelled by Australia in 2010 due to his suspected links to extremist groups. In 2014, he finally made it to Syria, where he joined the Islamic State and earned himself the nickname "The Bumbling Jihadi' after he revealed his location with geo-tagged Tweets in 2015. In a radio interview, Taylor told ABC he had few regrets about his time with ISIS, except that he did not have enough money to be able to afford to buy a slave. He said he initially taught English but was suspected to be a spy, and to prove himself he was asked to make a video urging sympathisers to attack soldiers and police in their home countries, including New Zealand and Australia. "I actually did regret making that video and I know that the output was not good for my part - I know I'll probably spend time in jail for that video," he told ABC. please log in to view this image For more on this story, watch 1 NEWS at 6pm. Source: 1 NEWS He said he left because "there was no food, no money, basic services were pretty much collapsed. "I was in a pickle myself and had to make a final decision, which was to leave." He said he was armed during his time as a border guard with an AK-47, but he only ever used it during practice. Taylor also said he had been put in prison by ISIS himself before. "I was accused of drinking alcohol and making alcohol and smoking hashish," he explained. He spoke of his envy of other ISIS members who had purchased captured Yazidi women in marketplaces as slaves, saying he would have liked to have a slave himself to "clean the house". "If I had ownership of the lady, it basically entitled me to whatever I wanted to do as long as it was within the Islamic Sharia." He said he would not have "forcefully" had sex with a slave, but when questioned whether or not all slaves are there forcefully against their will, he said "as far as I'm aware, that's not my concern". "To buy a lady costs money and I would see from day to day ... someone would say to me, 'I bought a slave for like 5000, 10,000' ... and I'd think to myself I would like to have that type of money, but I never had any chance, so I had to stick to being married to a Syrian lady." The Kurds do not want to keep the imprisoned IS fighters, and it is understood they will be seeking to ask their home countries, including New Zealand, to take them back and put them on trial. It is believed he burned his New Zealand passport when he joined ISIS, but he says he applied for another passport in 2014. It is not known if he was successful. Taylor remains a New Zealand citizen.
When any of them open their mouths and speak, it doesn't exactly inspire anyone to give them a second chance - they appear to be beyond redemption so as far as I'm concerned they can bargain with the almighty when their time comes. None of them regret what they did, but all saw lots of bodies around, seem to have had a comfortable time of it, fought but never actually killed anyone themselves. I would have loved to have had an opportunity to question the Dutch husband of Shamima Begum. Even an outraged BBC journalist managed to get him to contradict himself a few times so that eventually he told us something he thought we would want to hear but that's alright. They would make a lovely couple walking down the street to do the week's shopping.
What was all that stuff about Labour losing support outside London by backing a new referendum? https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/northern-labour-voters-back-brexit-14080600
Again, you seem not to understand the premise. It's a poll of Labour voters because they wanted to test whether the suggestion that backing a referendum would cost Labour seats was actually true. It would appear not. As you don't seem to trust the Mirror, here's the same story from the Mail.......... https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...WANT-second-Brexit-referendum-poll-shows.html
Knife crime: Cressida Dick says violent crime rise linked to policing numbers please log in to view this image Media playback is unsupported on your device Knife crime victims' stories from Sheffield: 'I don't want to not have a mum' Exit player Media captionKnife crime victims' stories from Sheffield: "I don't want to not have a mum" There is "some link" between falling police numbers and a rise in violent crime, the UK's top police officer, Cressida Dick, has said. The Met Police commissioner was talking a day after Prime Minister Theresa May said there was "no direct correlation". It comes after two 17-year-olds were killed in separate stabbings in London and Greater Manchester at the weekend. Ms Dick told LBC Radio the deaths show "how big of a challenge this is" and that it is not a London-only issue. Jodie Chesney was killed in an east London park as she played music with friends, while Yousef Ghaleb Makkie was stabbed to death in the village of Hale Barns, near Altrincham. Ms Chesney's family have backed a call for longer jail terms for people carrying knives. Her grandmother, Debbie Chesney, said: "This has to stop - there are too many young people having their lives cut short by needless violence." Meanwhile, six people have been arrested over a gang attack at a Lancashire sixth form college. A machete was found near Runshaw College in Leyland, following Monday's incident. In her radio interview, Ms Dick also agreed that middle class recreational drug users had "blood on their hands" over recent deaths, adding the drugs trade was a key driver behind street violence. please log in to view this image Image caption Yousef Makki and Jodie Chesney, both 17, were killed in separate knife attacks two days apart Home Secretary Sajid Javid has said he will meet police chiefs to look at ways to combat violence. He raised the issue of resources for police to tackle knife crime at a meeting of the Cabinet this morning. The Home Office has pledged to "urgently coordinate" further meetings across government to "accelerate" support for local authorities and police. The PM has asked officials to make this a priority. Jodie's family support tougher knife laws 'I don't know how many people I've stabbed' 'Treat knife crime like terrorism' The unit tackling knives Speaking about policing numbers, Ms Dick said a reduction in police officer numbers and cuts to public services in the last few years had coincided with an increase in demand for policing. She said: "I agree that there is some link between violent crime on the streets obviously and police numbers, of course there is, and everybody would see that." Total knife offences in England and Wales Offences involving a knife or sharp instrument Source: Home Office, year ending March except 2017 and 2018 which are year ending September. Figures exclude Greater Manchester. Her comments followed those on Monday from the prime minister, who said there was "no direct correlation between certain crimes and police numbers". Senior police officers have called for a reverse to recent cuts in staffing levels. 1,000 young victims hospitalised Fatal stabbings at highest level since records began Can knife crime be stopped before it starts? How have police officer numbers changed? Number of police officers in England and Wales Source: Home Office, year ending September Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Mrs May "must start listening" to police chiefs over the impact of cutting 21,000 officers, adding: "You cannot keep people safe on the cheap." Vernon Coaker, a former Home Office minister under Labour, said the government should treat knife crime with the same urgency as terrorism. Former Met commissioner Lord Hogan-Howe has called for 20,000 officers to be recruited to bring forces in England and Wales back to their 2010 levels, and says ministers have to "get a grip on the crisis". Ms Dick is recruiting 3,000 officers after receiving an increase in funding. She welcomed the boost to police numbers in London - but said they were still below the levels they were in 2013-14. Hospital admissions for knife assaults Number of admissions for assault by a sharp object, England Source: NHS Digital, year ending March On the issue of drug use, Ms Dick agreed with a question from LBC's Nick Ferrari that people using cocaine during weekend "middle class dinner parties" had "blood on their hands". Ms Dick said: "I think anybody who is not seriously mentally ill, seriously addicted, who is seeking 'recreational' drugs, particularly class A drugs, yes, I think that is a good way to put it, I do." please log in to view this image Media playback is unsupported on your device Metropolitan Police chief Cressida Dick: "There must be some link" Exit player Media captionMetropolitan Police chief Cressida Dick: "There must be some link" Figures released in February showed the number of fatal stabbings in England and Wales last year - 285 - was the highest since records began in 1946. Ms Dick said that when she became commissioner, tackling violent crime on the streets was her top priority - and it remained so. "We are taking more weapons off the streets, we are arresting more people, we are doing more disruptive activity, as well as record numbers in the last few years of stop and search," she said. Ms Dick also noted that the number of homicides in London had fallen, with 20 so far this year compared to 29 this time last year. please log in to view this image Homicide rates across the UK Click on an area to see the homicide rate
Very clear than the fall/cuts in police numbers and supported services have weakened law and order Seriously this PM has to be the worst on record Useless Conservatives always the same old sheep farmers when will the nation learn It’s on their watch Any faith that she will do anything ? I maintain only a radical approach will free us from this mess. The police need to reinvent themselves and bloody quickly
It's a bit different from all the Labour voters that I hear on the radio who say that they have been betrayed by Corbyn and won't vote Labour. It will all come out in the next election. You stick to your Mirror poll and I will stick to the radio lot. Funnily I heard these sort of polls before the referendum and what happened?
Channel 4 News proving how deeply involved Arron Banks was with the Kremlin, which he has consistently lied about. National Crime Agency still investigating where he got the money for the biggest ever political donation to the Leave campaign. Also it seems that Jeremy Corbyn’s ‘office’, whatever that means, has actively intervened to make sanctions on Labour Party members found to have been anti Semitic more lenient. Baroness Warsi calling out her own party, the Tories, for institutional islamophobia. Chris Grayling still at large. We need more police.
Pretty shameful really isn't it? All EU nationals that are settled in this country should be allowed to stay without jumping through hoops and reciprocal arrangements should be made in return, some EU countries have already agreed, it's common sense really but that's in short supply with some of the half-wits that run the Home Office empowered by the Maybot...
Must say Very impressive results from UK companies in the annual FT Top 1000 fastest growing companies in Europe for 2018. 13 from France 20 Germany 26 The UK 7 of the top 14 UK Not too shabby, a report I like to use. A couple of my Danish friends on there with a great little company at No. 136. Lovely jubbly
