Everyone agrees that the parents carry a great deal of responsibility for crimes committed by their children, but the parents never seem to have to answer for these crimes, which doesn't make sense. For serious crimes, e.g. stabbings, the parents should be put in jail too.

Andrew May, De Panne, Belgium

You are watching the results of what happens when a free market economy is allowed to run riot.The government have done nothing to bring stability to families.

David Bridge, Southport, U.K.

Out of Control!!!! and it all stems from the top

C Kroustis, London, UK

Have issues with drugs and alcohol also increased in this age group? We need to bring communities together again e.g. through neighbourhood watch schemes - perhaps using a less threatening name such as 'neighbourhood care' scheme. The Government could do more to encourage community spirit.

Kim Domnick, Torquay, UK

Parents have to take responsibility for their offspring..

Hamad Lone, London, England

I have a 5 year old boy and I explain to him on a daily basis that he can play computer games et al, as long as they do not involve hurting people. He cringes at violence of any kind involving humans. Parents must assume their responsibility. Education begins at home - NOT ON THE STREETS

Tony Eden, Ollon , Switzerland

Why are we surprised? For years and years any power to control children has been taken away from teachers, parents and Police. Teenagers are more likely to know "their rights" than how to respect other people.
And if you try to intervene? You either face a knife or prosecution.

Paul, York,

All is due to a basic misunderstanding of how human 'communities' work. Sociologists have convinced themselves that draconian punishments have been made redundant by civil society: In reality, they are a necessary factor in its creation. Before the 'Pax Romanum' crucifixion would have shocked nobody

Eric Skelton, Cardiff, Wales

My 4 year old boy was repeatedly smacked in his face by a little girl (5?) because he really wanted to play with her and she didn’t, at the play ground. After the second slap, I said in quite a loud voice “Hey! Stop!”, she ignored me and went on slapping him (who stood there like a codfish)

Daniela, Hampshire,

Britian is very rich nation but, 1 in 4 of our children live in poverty. How can you expect well balanced, law abiding citizens to emerge from a society that tosses a quarter of its youth on the scapheap from birth? Children are our future. We all need to start caring more or face the consequences.

Gary, London,

In the case of the tragic Robert Knox murder what were 16 and 17 year olds doing hanging around a bar after midnight on a Friday night? Even more so when there had been trouble the week before.

It's time to get tough with bars and clubs in city centres, which have become no go areas at night.

Robert, Manchester, UK

Its a sorry state are in. Give our schools power to discipline, and we shall soon see a reformed and well-behave society of youngsters. Its the parents who are to be blamed for unruly actions of their children; they did not bring them up in a disciplined way. What do we expect from them?

M. A. Jabbar, Altrincham, UK

To answer the question above, responsibility lies 100% with the parents (or, more realistically, parent). There should be no need for the authorities to get involved at all.

Failing that, putting the kids in the army for 12-24 months in their late teens is probably the best alternative.

Matt, London, UK

Schools have been neutered. Teachers cannot physically discipline nor control disruptive pupils. The responsibility must lie at home. But again parents are powerless to physically discipline disruptive children. Further, the American media portrays 'gangster' steroetypes as role models for the young

gmac, Kassel, Germany

Yesterday, I experienced at first hand, the reason why these thugs turn out the way they do. My 3 years old son had a collision on a bouncy castle with a 4 or 5 year old boy. When the boy came over to his mother, she instructed him that he should have punched my son in the head. Good parenting!

Ben McBean, Stockton on Tees, UK

It doesn't start at the home, it starts with the complete lack of punishment for these, and related, crimes.
If we're saying the motivation for these murders is a non-existent family upbringing in a stable home, why make jail so much more comfortable than their own houses. Hardly a disincentive.

C Jones, London,

The troubles weren't cured by the searching regime. What would be involved in a peace process for early to mid teenagers in today's cities? A sense of self worth unconnected to carrying a weapon, prospects of meaningful employment, strong family and community links. Maybe a sense of humour

diana, derby,

Regarding the recent stabbings, and anther brutal murder of a youth.
Everyone has talked, discussed and ignored these vile times we now live in.
Now is the time to save further lives by bringing back the death penalty.
It is the only thing left, and a final deterant to these thugs who run riot.

Keith, Manchester,

I believe that the welfare system is partly responsible. As long as generations of families are able to stay out of work yet can afford to have children with no hope, no expectations and poor role models this situation will continue. And I'm a single parent of a highly successful son - I worked!

Lee Battye, Adelaide, Australia

Most people seem to think that kids need more discipline and a male role model to teach them how to be men. When will govt stop going down the PC route of penalising marraige via the tax/benefits system? Or stop micro-managing how we discipline our kids at home/school?

K Hammond, Essex, UK

Yes...it starts at home..and then finishes at the end of a rope. We need capital punishment brought back. Our streets cleared of immigrants. The streets back in charge of the police. In this age of DNA profiling, if it can be proved through DNA profiling then a murderer should be executed..

kirk, Rotherham, UK

Illegal drugs equals money equals gangs equals deaths. Anyone heard of Al Capone?

Kevin Straw, Leicester,

And among all these notional causes ... how about MPs on huge salaries, primarily concerned with covertly lining their own pockets from concealed allowances. How often does your MP attend the house - what is his/her record speaking in the matter of youth crime ?

Sean, Coventry, UK

John Douglas,

How do you propose a parent stops their child from leaving the house if they are not allowed to physically restrain them? Do you not know that the child will call Childline or the Police and have them arrested?
Government removed disciplinary measures. Look at what happened?

Mark, London, UK

The text says,"These youngsters have never been given boundaries, never been taught how to behave and never had a role model...".
This cannot be true, because they have all gone to school.
But have they ever felt accepted and loved? Without acceptance and love no upbringing or education will work.

Elga, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany

Whatever happened to holding parents accountable for the actions of their children? No, not violent crime, but the behaviour which fosters violent crime? Why are children on the streets at all hours of the day and night? Why should society , not parents, have to absorb the costs of criminal damage?

John, Douglas,

I do worry about the boys who have no father role model to emulate. Having reared four boys myself, I know how hard it is even when in a happy marriage. My sister however, reared three boys on her own, and all have been to university and are in happy marriages so it can be done.

marie owen, fishguard, wales

I find all this violence quite disturbing though not really surprising. We need more police (talking officers on the street, not more electronic gadgetry) and quicker and harsher convictions. Let all those thugs, vandals and hooligans sweat, let them repay some of the damage they do to society.

Joern, Townsville, Australia

The two most effective actions that can be taken are to consider seriously what ways the parents can be involved and to introduce far stronger punishments for knife carriers and particularly for murderers.

How much responsibility must be attributed to the parents?

Len, London,

When you look at the families involved in knife and gun crime, you will see who in the community are involved and they come from a particular section of the community. Quite clearly these families do not do anything in bringing up their children.

Frank, Halifax, UK

It's the family (or lack of it); an education system which is female biased & fails some males from the very start; lack of prospects; bad role models; PC policing tactics; the prosecution service; liberal judges who don't have to live with the consequences of their rulings; Labour's Human Rights.

Donna Walker, Effingham, England

I'm sure most people would agree that the roots of youth crime lie in a difficult upbringing with poor role models, particularly for young males. Why then does the government continue to send signals that the family is no longer needed? Fathers are apparently no longer needed in raising children.

Bill, Yeovil, UK

In problem families, teenage boys are sometimes made the scapegoat. Teenage boy murders are the expression of social problems. Speaking as an immigrant, I see a society riven by tribal conflicts and PC wetness. For the sake of all , tell the UN to mind its own abuses and batten down the hatches.

Margarita, London, England

It's depressing. Who would want to live in England when the Labour government penalises parents for smacking their kids. This is what softly softly gets.

KL, Tokyo, Japan

Question is, where do these kids get their knives from? Home? Or do they shop for it? If they do, who gives them the money to shop for these weapons? How does the market sell weapons to these kids? Is there no regulation there?

Let's introspect before blaming the children for their behaviour.

Ashish Deodhar, Mumbai, India

What about the guns? They are too too easily available and very little said about that - and where they are coming from... It's about time we had more community activities and centres - again that young people can go to and be safe instead of leaving to own devices.

S. R. Crawford, Stratford, England

Instead of this Government trying to get Mothers back to work, encourage them to stay at home and look after their familes. Children are being brought up by their peers. Mary Whitehouse said this would happen with all the violence and killing shown in teen music, TV programmes etc she was right

Coral Stone, Enger, Germany

The Goverment are more in tune with: stopping someone having a cig. with a pint, a spliff in the privacy of their own home, fox hunting, a driver doing 80 at 2 in the morning on a quiet motoway all pety in my book the real problems seem to be forgotten, is this all down to the PC culture we live in?

KEN SANTI, SEDGEFIELD, DURHAM

Bring back military service. Discipline and direction is whats lacking at home and schools, give them what thye need! Sweden still have it and it works!!

sophie green, stockholm, sweden

What kind of environment are these people growing up in where they think it normal to walk around with knives and get into fights every time they leave the house? It seems that no government policy can replace the family values that these teenagers are clearly missing out on. Very very sad indeed.

Nikki, Limassol, Cyprus

I've said it before, get them in the army! the kids that are living in a knife/gang culture almost certainly will be claiming benefits, is it not better to get them focused in the forces than to let them run riot in the streets, no job within 3 months of leaving school then the army it is!!!!!

KEN SANTI, SEDGEFIELD, DURHAM

15 kids have died in 5 months. That's 3 kids a month dying. That's an epidemic. Maybe it's better they go to football games and riot to get steam off. There has to be increased metal detectors in city centres - like Belfast during the bombing. Put them on buses & Tube manned by police.

Scott, London,

Reassuring that knife crime is a 'rare event' with only 56,200 violent attacks.
That's 154 every day or one every 9 minutes.
And that is only 10-17 year olds, and presumably only those who get caught?
In my book, Haley's comet is a rare event. Most rail services don't have a train every 9 minutes

Paul, Singapore,