A very disturbing - shocking - situation

3 points.  First, the criminal justice system is in crisis.  Secondly, Police numbers have been markedly reduced.  Thirdly, over 50 people have been killed - mostly by stabbing - in London alone this year.  On any view, this is a very disturbing and shocking picture.

Deaths in London:

i News 4th April published the terrible List of victims killed in the capital so far this year and noted that - "The Met Police is currently investigating 55 suspected murders since the start of 2018."   The list shows that most of the victims died as a result of stabbing. 



BBC News 25th January 2018 - 9 charts on the rise of knife crime in England and Wales.   The article begins by highlighting that knife crime decreased but is rising again.

New Sentencing Guidance:

The Sentencing Council has issued new Sentencing Guidelines for Bladed articles and Offensive Weapons and these come into effect from 1st June 2018.

Stop and Search:

Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 Part 1.

The use of Stop and Search powers by the Metropolitan Police has declined as this chart published in the BBC article shows:

The Mayor of London (Mr Sadiq Khan) has advocated "intelligence-led" stop and search by Police Officers with "body worn video" to record events - see his interview at Sky News 9th October 2017

The recently published Lammy Review - see Final Report - stated that - " ... the disproportionate use of Stop and Search on BAME communities continues to drain trust in the CJS as a whole."

In January 2018, Mr David Lammy MP criticised Mr Khan over stop and search - see The Guardian 14th January.

"The MP for Tottenham said he was disappointed that his Labour colleague in City Hall had chosen to use the controversial police tactic as a “political football” after an outcry over the fatal stabbings of four young men on New Year’s Eve."

See also - The Spectator 17th February 2018