New parenting programs? How about new politicians parenting programs? How can we ever expect this current generation of politicians to solve the imminent safety threats to our society, if they are clearly rummeting about in cuckoo-land?

Rudi Jansen, Esquiule, France

The tool used to maim and kill is not the problem. The people that do the maiming and killing are the problem. You lost your rights to firearms for the purpose of gaining safety, and you gained no safety. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Phillip Sandusky, Carlisle, USA

This is MULTICULTURALISM at it's best. The Tribal mindset lies behind much of this crime. Police officers promoting multiculturalism instead of investigating and solving crime - the softly-sofly aproach to "diversity" is leading to a breakdown of our society and filling our prisons with foreigners.

Kat, Bury, UK

The cost to "maintain" a prisoner is ludicrous. Is it not possible, with DNA evidence, to be fairly certain that a person accused of committing a crime actually has? An answer? London punishment, Tokyo punishment, Madrid punishment, Rabat punishment... No free ride. No X-BOX. An actual deterrent...

Stuart, Swansea,

The UK is rated by the UN as one of the worst places to raise children and gosh, the children are getting into trouble. Any connection? Tough on crime, totally blank on the causes of crime. Let's make it illegal to carry baseball bats, that should fix it. And pry bars and golf clubs. And sinks...

richard, horley,

Five in a day or six in a day? 'Shock' warnings about the danger of knives are useless, they keep knives on them precisely because they're dangerous. What the kids need are anger management classes-- that control in the face of disrespect or provocation signifies strength & not weakness.

Kipling, London,

Perhaps we should stop locking up people for not paying their TV Licence and for shoplifting and instead give mandatory two or three year jail terms for people caught with a knife. And how about ten year minimum for those using a knife.

Graeme , Glasgow, Scotland

Hello,
Has anyone over there thought of allowing people to be armed so as to defend against attack?

You know, Violence used to protect and defend being Good for society, and Violence used to attack the peaceful, being Bad.

The prob is not the knives, its the users.
Best,
T
Baton Rouge,LA

T, Baton Rouge,

I'll believe it when I see it !!!! All this gov't can do is talk the talk - I want to see them walking the walk also !!!!

Ian Payne, walsall,

This is ridiculous - So Jacqui Smith is going to spout more leftie rhetoric about 'parenting programmes' - suddenly all gangs will throw down their knives and live happily ever after. Wake up UK Government - we need draconian action implemented and fast!

Jay, London,

"[S]hock warnings to youngsters about the dangers of knives"? Isn't that why the youngsters carry the knives -- precisely because they are dangerous? Kids might also, surely, profit from conflict resolution training: that strength can lie in NOT rising to another person's disrespectful behaviour.

Kipling, London,

If you cannot jail these kids at least you should try to change their outlook. use them on overseas aid projects that build houses and schools in poor countries. Make them do community service helping the poor and elderly in the UK - use all of their spare time!! Curfew them to home at night.

micad, Chelsea , London

Can we ban basebal bats, golfclubs and illegally held handguns before I'm told to buy sliced bread 'cos my Kitchen Knife is an illegal weapon.

Ski, Bath, United Kingdom

This is what it's come down to, knife control for British subjects. Next, it will be a ban on garden tools, household cleaning cans, and automotive tools.

But, there's a bright side to all this-they're not being murdered with guns.

Luis , Chicago, United States

Lots of hot air in announcing decisions and plans. Lots of paper for reports and inquiries, probalby a new committee to review the situation and report next? year. But actual action -ZERO.

M. Cawdery, CRAIGAVON, Co. UK, EU.

Hmm lets see, we've had 11 years of socialism which has destroyed traditional discipline,policing,the family unit,social responsibility and so on yet still mindless Labour ministers can't see any connection between their crass ideology and the horrendous state Britain is now in - ironic really

Bryan, Totland, UK

how are new parenting programs to be enforced,it is a joke ,the message this sends out is 'this goverment won,t take a realistic stance and give police and courts the power to fight back on behalf of the people of this country'
real people will die because of this bumbling incomperdance.

ben , helston, cornwall

Are these the tough new plans which allow violent offenders out of jail early because there's not enough space? Or are they the tough new plans which were announced six months ago and have gone nowhere?

Ian, London, UK

It will fail.
Mum to son "are you carrying a knife". Son to mum, "no"

Police to suspect, "are you carrying a knife", answer "no" let me search you. Resentmenent builds up, we have riot. Police adopt a softley softley aproach.

Knife carrier - Watches shocking video, thinks nothing of it.

steve tea, manchester, cheshire

Completely agree with Mike Jones,

This is why Cameron stole even MORE of a march last week when he talked about taking responsibility, that doesn't mean parents need guidelines, it means those who carry knives without reasonable justification should be LOCKED UP.

Less nanny, more action.

Mark Wilson, Cardiff,

In 1972. Sir Keith Joseph predicted that the then growing class who left school with few qualification, 'parented' children and saw the State as their provider of housing and income without any requirement on them to work, would result in a lawless underclass. This is precisely what has happened.

Alan Robbins, Haslemere, Surrey

again the elephant in the corner................ foreign names foreign ways

MICKY, BRIGHTON, UK

New parenting programmes. How nice. A surefire way to stop knife crimes. I can just see the gangs laughing already.

John S, Liverpool, England

This Brown Government is somehow spawning this attitude among the youth The people will have to get rid of this useless labour government. No other way.

Peter, Vancouver. BC., Canada

Knife crime is on the increase so you would expect the police to concentrate all available personnel to fighting it but what do you see on the TV?
A plastic 'police line' denoting a scene of crime being manned by 2 and sometimes more fully trained officers.
A boy scout with an arm band could do it

GJB, Slough, Berkshire

Utter rubbish - as are "jail 'em all" foamers - I do not wish to be banged up for taking a knife to cut my French bread and ham at tonights Kenwood picnic & concert, thank you. Knife crime is not a separate thing, but a outcome of lots of criminalities - a dedicated 'command' is pointless(sic)

alex stuart, London, UK

Still look on the bright side, at least we didn't Stop and Search the little enrichments. As always there is more blood on the hands of liberals than anyone else. Consequences? Don't bother with them.

John King, London, London

Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, is expected to confirm plans for new parenting programmes

Please, don't tell me that this is the tough new action as promised by Brown. If the subject wasn't so serious it would be laughable. Instant jail sentances for the possession of knives or nothing.

Mike Jones, Farnborough, Hampshire

Another headlining "inititive" that will go nowhere.

Is that tumbleweed i see blighting our streets? Never m
ind the bodies, cant have bodies blighting the landscape.

]Tell them we are doing somthing and they will believe us!

Phil Austin, RAUNDS, England