Stick em with the (non)pointy end!

Soldato
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I had to read this several times to ensure I wasn't on the onion or watching Brass Eye.

Nottinghamshire Police have started a new scheme where they're offering to replace the knives of domestic abuse victims, with special 'blunt' 'non-pointy' non-dangerous versions, in an effort to try and reduce the number of domestic abuse attacks..

Nottinghamshire Police have launched a pilot scheme whereby individuals who have been threatened or attacked with a blade will be offered to replace them with unpointed knives.

To me it seems like a totally rubbish and crass idea. If you've identified somebody who's at risk of domestic abuse, what the hell use is it - putting a blunt knife in their drawer..?

I'm interested to hear of people's opinions on this.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...d-pointless-plans-give-blunt-knives-domestic/
 

NVP

NVP

Soldato
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To me it seems like a totally rubbish and crass idea. If you've identified somebody who's at risk of domestic abuse, what the hell use is it - putting a blunt knife in their drawer..?
Not all abuse victims can leave, not all abuse is constant, not all abusive relationships are loveless. So if the victim stays they're at least helping prevention in a small way.

Doing something is better than doing nothing.
 
Soldato
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Seems like it would offer a rather poor value for money proposition....

I'm sure someone will say (as above) that doing something is better than nothing but it's not like that money could not potentially be spent elsewhere to greater effect...
 
Soldato
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Seems like it would offer a rather poor value for money proposition....

I'm sure someone will say (as above) that doing something is better than nothing but it's not like that money could not potentially be spent elsewhere to greater effect...

Exactly, starting with trying to deal with the root cause might not be such a bad idea.

If they've managed to identify a situation where someone might get stabbed and / or seriously injured, it might make sense to try and prevent this situation from happening in the first place, rather than hand the victim some blunt knives, as though that's a useful and helpful thing to do.
 
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It reminds me somewhat over the (in my view slightly hysterical) concern over children being able to purchase knives.

Now to be clear I think it is quite right that children should not be able to buy knives.

But its not a massively significant factor in knife crime as almost all children will have access to a ready supply of knives at home much like domestic abusers will have access to a wide range of implements at home perfectly capable of inflicting serious injury or death on a partner.
 
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Meanwhile, police confiscate normal dinner knives, screwdrivers and pliers :o

The Police should just stick to what they're really here for, to investigate hurt feelings on the Internet.
 
Soldato
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Meanwhile, police confiscate normal dinner knives, screwdrivers and pliers :o

The Police should just stick to what they're really here for, to investigate hurt feelings on the Internet.

For me personally, I think crazy ideas like this knife thing are the end result of years and years of a stupid, incompetent, government 'chipping away' at the core services of our communities. The end result is not enough money, not enough resources and a service that is stretched so thin - it can barely keep up with 999 calls, let alone investigate deeper more complex issues such as domestic abuse.

In such an environment, where the police force has been bankrupted, gelded, and basically stripped bare - all that perhaps remains, are crazy ideas like confiscating screwdrivers, and handing blunt knives to domestic abuse survivors.
 
Soldato
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Well I was in the scouts and remember carrying knives that would cause plod to have a heart attack these days when I was out camping!

Unfortunately things have moved on and perhaps (responsible) parents should be the ones who decide if their son or daughter gets something sharp/ pointy bought for them.
 
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Soldato
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if they've identified someone being threatened w/ a knife/stabbed in a house, why is the action not to remove the attacker, rather than give the victim a blunt knife? it's the attacker who at least needs the 'ing knives changed, surely?!
 
Soldato
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Meanwhile, police confiscate normal dinner knives, screwdrivers and pliers :o

The Police should just stick to what they're really here for, to investigate hurt feelings on the Internet.

I think you'll find the police would love to get back to what they're meant to be doing and leave the mental health to the health service and the social work to Social Work, but there's no hope of that happening any time soon.

if they've identified someone being threatened w/ a knife/stabbed in a house, why is the action not to remove the attacker, rather than give the victim a blunt knife? it's the attacker who at least needs the 'ing knives changed, surely?!

They will when required, but there's very little stopping that person coming back, or the victim allowing them back.
 
Soldato
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if they've identified someone being threatened w/ a knife/stabbed in a house, why is the action not to remove the attacker, rather than give the victim a blunt knife? it's the attacker who at least needs the 'ing knives changed, surely?!

My relatively uneducated opinion, is that to do that would require resources.

You'd have to assign someone to that situation over a period of time, have them determine the level of risk, figure out whether or not to prosecute, gathering evidence, try to resolve the conflict - so and so forth.

Bear in mind - there's no money, no resources, whilst simultaneously being told by government idiots who are experts at nothing other than cooking the numbers - that crime is going down. We're essentially stuck in a pit of stupidity that's very difficult to recover from.
 
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