Gun crime

Former Member · August 2008

Everybody is on about the horrific amount of stabbings at the moment across the country... however are people forgetting about gun crime?

I just went to my local shop and found it cordoned off with police tape, forensics etc and found out that a guy was shot dead in front of my local shop at around 10pm, not particularly late by any account, by two guys on bikes who then drove off. I know it's too early to say, in terms of news coverage (though I would have thought the BBC would have got ahold of it by now like the local radio and independent radio) but I doubt this will get as much column inches despite the severity and news values of such a crime.

As well as this around 8 months ago a guy was found shot dead literally a few hundred few feet from my house and had like two stories across the national press and then was gone.

What are your opinions?

Former Member · August 2008

My opinion is that both knife and gun crime are over-sensationalised in the media.

Former Member · August 2008

As a journalist I'm inclined to agree, I am very much a believer of Stan Cohen's Folk Devils and Moral Panics. But there are certainly areas, at least within the capital that aren't over hyped. I saw a guy stabbed in May, broad day light on a Bank Holiday who died. This murder tonight. Murder at Christmas. Eight paddy wagons in my car park after someone threatening another with a gun (It was a starter gun) and a load of youths throwing bottles at the police... again broad daylight on a Saturday afternoon.

It may just be the area that I live but the fact that this probably wasn't a teenager and wasn't a knife crime means that it won't have a peep in the news.

EDIT: Just heard on the radio it was actually INSIDE the shop. Fucking hell, I was only in there about half an hour beforehand :S

Former Member · August 2008

There are plenty of gun incidents here too that never make the news. I don't think it's anything new, there may have been a slight increase from the past few years but it's nothing to get into hysterics about. There are plenty of people who have their own anecdotal accounts but this doesn't mean it's something new. The whole hype about knife grime is the age of the victims and that there seems to be an ever growing gang culture in London which has expressed itself through knife crime. Though nationally, I think knife attacks are actually down from last records.

Former Member · August 2008

Yerascrote wrote: »

The whole hype about knife grime is the age of the victims and that there seems to be an ever growing gang culture in London which has expressed itself through knife crime. Though nationally, I think knife attacks are actually down from last records.

As I understand it yes knife crime is down (slightly) overall, but it is now becoming very much localised into small areas which are having a lot of trouble - there have been 3 knife murders within walking distance of my office in the last couple of months for example.

As for gun crime and its coverage, personally I think its because when people are shot its normally seen as adult dealers killing each other and there isnt the random element and innocent bystanders getting hurt - whether thats really true or not is another matter.

Former Member · August 2008

Although deaths by violent crime using weapons has fallen recently, there is a wave of public concern and the authorities are keen to do something about it. From a summit on Gun and knife crime at Downing St, before Tony Blair left office, to community and police consultative groups holding meetings. With the collective anxieties stirred up by press highlights, no wonder the public is talking about the issue. The thing is once the media stirs things up, it fuels more interest and more stories sensationalized till people believe there are loads of gun iincidents getting out of control. Any big city will have gang shootings and isolated incidents cropping up- a phenomenon of urban life.

Former Member · August 2008

i heard on the news that violent crime as a whole is at its lowest since records began and knife crime is low too its just "in fashion" at the moment to report teenage knife crime in the media. the media goes threw phases next it will be peophillia or something and everyone will think that that is on a huge increase but its not its just what is "fashionable to report" for want of a better word. time aren't geting more violent there getting more publicied (sp?).

Former Member · August 2008

It's mainly because journalists have the attention span of a goldfish. Half of them are too busy wanking on about our "Olympic heroes" (so running very fast makes one a hero, does it?) to notice anything else that's going on.

Former Member · August 2008

stargalaxy wrote: »

It's mainly because journalists have the attention span of a goldfish. Half of them are too busy wanking on about our "Olympic heroes" (so running very fast makes one a hero, does it?) to notice anything else that's going on.

Is there one aspect of modern Britain that doesn't make you very angry?

Former Member · August 2008

Airbags in cars....?

Former Member · August 2008

budda wrote: »

Is there one aspect of modern Britain that doesn't make you very angry?

Well, can you please tell me what is "heroic" about being able to run very fast, winning a medal in the process?

Former Member · August 2008

stargalaxy wrote: »

Well, can you please tell me what is "heroic" about being able to run very fast, winning a medal in the process?

If you were a sports enthusiast you'd understand.

He did ask you a question though.

Former Member · August 2008

Yerascrote wrote: »

If you were a sports enthusiast you'd understand.

And who's to say that I'm not? As it happens, I've been watching the Olympics pretty closely. It's good to see that Britain is doing well this year, winning plenty of medals. But the fact is these people are not heroes. A heroic act would be, say, saving a person's life, not running around very fast.

Former Member · August 2008

stargalaxy wrote: »

And who's to say that I'm not? As it happens, I've been watching the Olympics pretty closely. It's good to see that Britain is doing well this year, winning plenty of medals. But the fact is these people are not heroes. A heroic act would be, say, saving a person's life, not running around very fast.

What about the hours upon hours of training they've done every day to get there? And once they get there, putting that little bit extra in even when the body says no just to do the best theycan. I'm not saying every single person at the Olympics is a hero, not even everyone who wins a gold but there certainly are heros there.

Former Member · August 2008

Yerascrote wrote: »

What about the hours upon hours of training they've done every day to get there? And once they get there, putting that little bit extra in even when the body says no just to do the best theycan. I'm not saying every single person at the Olympics is a hero, not even everyone who wins a gold but there certainly are heros there.

Don't get me wrong - I think it's bloody phenomenal the amount of preparation that goes into these things. Some of them will have spent most of their adult lives (and probably a fair bit of their childhood) preparing for their moment in the spotlight. I think what they've done is absolutely amazing, but I certainly wouldn't call it heroism. I just suspect you and me have slightly different definitions of the term, that's all.

Although what baffles me is why we're talking about the Olympics in a thread about gun crime.

Former Member · August 2008

I also think calling them heroes is a bit too much, they're amazing people, no doubt about it and they deserve our admiration and respect.

The original, literal definition of "hero" is protector/defender/guardian. Someone who risks their own life to protect others is a hero.

Former Member · August 2008

i think someone can be a hero to one person and not to another. i dont think there are any rules to what a hero MUST do to be a hero and i dont think there is anyone who is everyone's hero. personally i dont feel that olympic athletes are remotely heroic at all but thats not say they arent to others. you dont have to save someones life to be a hero.

Former Member · August 2008

I think the emphasis needs to be taken away from knives and guns. People will killl people with what ever they can get their hands on, if not they just beat them to death. Perhaps a better idea to start looking at how situations get so bad that people actually WANT to kill people. THe reasons they do it, how to spot a potention killer early on.

Also finding better ways to protect witnesses (with out actually concealing their indentity), often it is very difficult to get a conviction if the witness are being intimodated and will not testify.

If people think they can get away with it and see it on tv and hear it on radio all day long it only encourages it further.

Former Member · August 2008

I think when they say hero, they are probly on about sporting heroes.

Former Member · September 2008

Jonny8888 wrote: »

I think the emphasis needs to be taken away from knives and guns. People will killl people with what ever they can get their hands on, if not they just beat them to death. Perhaps a better idea to start looking at how situations get so bad that people actually WANT to kill people. THe reasons they do it, how to spot a potention killer early on.

You are pointing out the truth behind the story - we have the crime problem we deserve. If we want to stop kids killing kids then there are several key issues we need to address, but they are too complex for those in politics;

1. Decent housing

2. Decent schooling which actually prepares kids for adult life (not just fucking exams)

3. An ability for young people to rise above the poverty in which they are born

4. Legal drug supply

Simple when put like that, but there is no way they can be put into a 20 second sound bite so Brown and Cameron ignore it, that and poor people dont matter so if they die who cares.

Gun crime

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