Star comment: Sentences too soft on knife crime

Figures released today show that across the region knife crime has increased every year since 2014.

Astonishingly, West Midlands Police has received more than 5,000 reports of crimes involving knives in the last five years.

It is clear that this problem has reached the crisis stage.

Further evidence of the violent times we live in could be seen last week, when police revealed a haul of deadly weapons that had been confiscated from pupils at a Black Country school.

The authorities need to take urgent action over the knife crime epidemic.

There have been 10 fatalities where knives have been used so far this year. In 2013 there were just two over the whole year.

If the current trend continues, just imagine how bad things will be in five years’ time.

The region’s police and commissioner believes the solution lies with educating young people on the dangers of carrying knives.

He also says that the Government needs to increase police funding to give the force a greater chance of tackling the problem. But this is not just an issue that can be solved by throwing money at it.

A large part of the reason that people are happy to carry weapons around with them is that there is such little deterrent.

In the UK, the maximum sentence for an adult found to be carrying a knife is four years in prison and an unlimited fine.

But a significant number of people who are caught with a knife never see the inside of a jail cell.

With such pathetic sentences being handed out by our courts on a daily basis, is it any wonder that some people think nothing of slipping a blade into their pocket before leaving the house?

For years, the Express & Star has been calling for tougher sentences for people who carry weapons.

Until our criminal justice system realises that the present sentencing guidelines are inadequate, we have no hope of reducing knife crime.

This is a desperate problem that is blighting our society. And sadly it is only going to get worse.