Yet another schoolboy stabbing

[Mups]

This is getting an almost daily occurence now.
The 14 yr old boy has sadly died.
 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/feb/03/boy-detained-teenager-stabbed-school-sheffield

[klondike]

The sad thing is there are going to be youngsters see the story and then think they need a knife to protect themselves.

[GrannyMac]

Other side of Sheffield, it's all over local social media.  

I have teen grandchildren, it's a horrific thought that this could happen in what should be a place of safety. 

[Ruthio]

It's almost getting to the stage that metal detectors are needed for kids to pass through when entering school.

[dextrous63]

How many of you automatically think that the lad who was stabbed was the (relatively) innocent victim, who was probably a real saint who was minding his own business while walking on his way to carry out extra voluntary charity work etc etc etc,...., and that the murderer is no doubt a real thug who needs banging up for the rest of his life and a dose of regular beatings applied for good measure, etc etc etc?

I know that that's my knee jerk reaction to hearing this kind of story.

And yet, as klondy points out, for all we know the opposite may in fact be the case and the killer was scared out of his wits and felt it necessary to carry a weapon to defend himself from the victim.

Either way, it was a terrible and tragic incident with at least two lives ruined permanently, along with their families and friends.

Perhaps the curriculum needs to be changed a bit to reinforce an understanding that actions to tend to have consequences, some of which are catastrophic and not conducive with achieving a happy life.

[JBR]

And yet, as klondy points out, for all we know the opposite may in fact be the case and the killer was scared out of his wits and felt it necessary to carry a weapon to defend himself from the victim.

Yes, very good point.

However, the root problem in my mind is the fact that when found carrying knives there seem to be no real prosecutions.  Perhaps they are afraid to prosecute under-age knife carriers, but I remember when we used to have the 'prisons' for under-age thugs - I forget the name they were given but it'll come back to me.

Basically, like all crime, no punishment = more crime.

[dextrous63]

Yep.  It's that consequences thing, coupled with the need for the perpetrator to take full ownership of the deed and the associated outcome, and not blame anyone else, nor their upbringing, nor how hard a life they've had, nor their gender issues etc etc etc.

[muddy]

Yes, very good point.

However, the root problem in my mind is the fact that when found carrying knives there seem to be no real prosecutions.  Perhaps they are afraid to prosecute under-age knife carriers, but I remember when we used to have the 'prisons' for under-age thugs - I forget the name they were given but it'll come back to me.

Basically, like all crime, no punishment = more crime.

Borstal ? 

[JBR]

Borstal ?

Yes!  At my advancing age, I do tend to forget things.  It drives Marge mad.

[GrannyMac]

Borstals and Approved Schools. I think now there are Young Offenders Institutions for 15-17 year olds.  Possibly too late for some.

[dextrous63]

Other than harsher sentencing, I'm really not sure how we can persuade youngsters to stop tooling up.

[JBR]

Other than harsher sentencing, I'm really not sure how we can persuade youngsters to stop tooling up.

Nail on head.  Hit nails in their heads with a big hammer.

Er, sorry, I got carried away.
Seriously, in all seriousness, I certainly agree that we need much harsher sentencing.  What we hand out now, along with early release, is no deterrent and lets criminals free to continue as they always have done.

I have said before that a lack of prison places is no excuse.  These are criminals and deserve to be treated as such - six to a cell and only allowed out for outdoor exercise in small groups.  We've done it before in the 'good old days', so why not now?

[Mups]

Nail on head.  Hit nails in their heads with a big hammer.

Er, sorry, I got carried away.
Seriously, in all seriousness, I certainly agree that we need much harsher sentencing.  What we hand out now, along with early release, is no deterrent and lets criminals free to continue as they always have done.

I have said before that a lack of prison places is no excuse.  These are criminals and deserve to be treated as such - six to a cell and only allowed out for outdoor exercise in small groups.  We've done it before in the 'good old days', so why not now?

I read somewhere today,  that those 1,100 prisoners Starmer released  to ease the burden on Prisons last October, has gone a bit pear-shaped.

Now that many,  plus even more,  have all been put away again.

Another brainwave that didn't work!

[dextrous63]

I listened to an ex con on the radio a couple of months back who was making the argument that harsher sentences don't work.  Her point was largely that there was insufficient education and training for convicts to learn new skills which may well help them on their release.

IMHO she missed the fundamental point that while they are incarcerated, they aren't out and about making others' lives a misery.  It isn't all about "them" and their needs, for heavens sake.

In any case, by and large most criminals tend to settle down to a normal life around the age of 30 anyway.

February 04, 2025, 09:52:30 PM

I read somewhere today,  that those 1,100 prisoners Starmer released  to ease the burden on Prisons last October, has gone a bit pear-shaped.

Now that many plus even more,  have all been put away again.

Another brainwave that didn't work!

Think the actual term is brain-fog in his case.

You'd have thought that he'd have known better, given his previous career.

[Scrumpy]

Borstal ?

Borstal or any place were young offenders are kept serves no purpose in my opinion..

To me, any prison or institution that houses those that have offended are just places where (thugs, murderers, ) and the such can (boast) of their (victories)..
Even in prison there is  hierarchy... pecking order.. 
It's like putting a person in college to learn new tricks...