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'No Knives, Better Lives' kicks off in Inverclyde
19/06/2009
An intensive campaign to make young people aware of the dangers and consequences of carrying a knife will kick off in Inverclyde next week.
The No Knives, Better Lives initiative will be delivered through a range of local communications, including hard hitting cinema ads and posters. This is designed to engage young people on the issue of knife crime to raise awareness and influence attitudes.
In addition, the local campaign will be combined with a structured programme of work in local secondary schools - interactive workshops, talks from ex-offenders and Medics Against Violence lessons.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said:
"Far too many lives are lost or damaged through acts of mindless violence. We know that the knife culture blighting many Scottish communities, including Inverclyde, is often to blame.
"Whilst we are working in partnership with the Violence Reduction Unit to step up our enforcement action through the anti-violence campaign. Last year the police carried out 257,000 stop searches across Scotland and seized 1663 weapons seized - this work will continue in 2009/10.
"I believe that prevention and early intervention are key to change. That's why our No Knives, Better Lives initiative is designed to spell out the dangers and consequences of knife crime and the risks that come with picking up a knife.
"This will be combined with a specially developed intensive and structured programme that will be delivered in schools across the region. It will see pupils receive talks from medical professionals involved in treating knife injuries, drama activities and hearing from those with first hand experience of knife crime - it is these authentic voices that young people told us they want to hear from.
"Meanwhile CashBack for Communities will give young people the opportunity to get involved in local activities to give them interesting ways to spend their time.
"We've had young and local people involved in developing this campaign and I believe Inverclyde will see the benefits of it. We are also keen to make sure all of Scotland benefits and this model will be rolling out in other areas of Scotland shortly."
Councillor Robert Moran Convener of Safe, Sustainable Communities said:
"Inverclyde is glad to be at the forefront of this campaign. There is nothing to be gained from carrying a knife. At best you could be arrested and fined, or you could find yourself serving a life sentence for murder having taken someone's life.
"We need to get the message across that it won't be tolerated in our society and we must educate people, especially the young, to think twice before carrying a knife."
Detective Chief Superintendent John Carnochan, Head of the Violence Reduction Unit, said:
"Violence, whenever it occurs and whatever form it takes, is abhorrent and will not be tolerated in 21st century Scotland. It's not just victims and offenders who are affected, it's families, cities, our economy and the reputation of our country. But the fact we are tackling this wicked problem shows how great a country we are. We will need to do some brave things in the next few years, so that Scotland becomes a safer place for all our children.
The police in Scotland have been concerted in their efforts to tackle violence - the level of activity is unprecedented with over ¼ million stop searches in Strathclyde alone over the last year. Yet we cannot police our way out of this: we cannot be at every party, in every house or on every street corner where violence happens. Violence is everyone's problem. While the police will be unrelenting on those who perpetrate violence and carry weapons, we must also focus our resources on preventing these dreadful crimes, and that is why this initiative should be welcomed."
Knife crime campaigner John Muir said:
"Every step forward is a positive step forward and I am fully behind this work to engage and educate our young people. If we want to see real change in our communities in the long term we need our young people to be at the heart of our efforts.
"It is them who are the adults and parents of the future so by working with them now we can begin to change the culture of knife carrying that blights too many families and communities."
The Scottish Government announced the its new £500,000 knife crime youth engagement initiative - No Knives, Better Lives - at the first national knife crime youth conference in Murrayfield in March this year The conference was attended by 90 young people from across Scotland.
Since then the Government has worked with a range of partners to develop materials and approaches to roll the campaign out, initially in Inverclyde, then to other areas in Scotland.
The schools programme has been delivered over the past four weeks in St Stephen's High School in Port Glasgow and will be rolled out to the seven other high schools in Inverclyde after the holidays. The programme - which has been developed by a head teacher on secondment to the Government - consists of inputs from external speakers, drama, interactive materials and structured lesson plans - and is initially aimed at year two pupils.