I was arrested. Yes, I really was arrested – by Sergeant Thomas, on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon, following a search. I did have a knife. I didn’t leave home with a knife, and I never intended to carry one. Rhys and Maisie were with me in the park. Rhys had been hassled repeatedly by Jordan, and a video of them in a fight earlier on that day was circulating online. Rhys is a good friend. Things then happened really quickly. Rhys contacted some of his other friends to come to the park to support him. I encouraged him to do so, as we realised that Jordan was also on his way to the park. Enough was enough and the matter needed to be resolved. One of Rhys’s friends offered me a knife – and I took it. The police then turned up as a member of the public had contacted them.
I was arrested because of the choices I made that day and the decisions I took. Some of you may be a bit circumspect about what you are reading – and you would be correct in being so – but only in part.
This was a virtual scenario – but doubtless similar scenes between groups of teenagers and young people are taking place up and down the country. The whole experience though, including the powerful peer pressure and my arrest, felt very real.
Enter Virtual Decisions – the company which created the realistic situation about knife crime referred to above. It is an interactive virtual reality in education programme, developed with other external agencies and with the input of young people, which is why it is unique. Its aim is to provide pupils, parents and in fact anyone (including me) with an opportunity to be immersed in the interactive scenario, but without taking the real risks and without having to face the potentially life-changing consequences either.
Where does this leave us as a society?
We all know that the reality is that knife crime is everywhere. It is a major problem, not only for victims and their families, but for perpetrators and their families too, and for wider communities and society at large. But we aren’t really addressing it at scale.
Here is some worse news. Finances will always be an issue. Funders will inevitably want evidence of ‘success’ – and that is usually defined quantifiably with facts and figures. Qualitative information about conversations with those who have participated in the type of sessions mentioned above – and key information which has been shared and learning undertaken – isn’t usually enough to secure support. It is impossible to show a negative – for example, an action which wasn’t taken and a life which may have been saved.
If carrying a weapon were an identified illness, should it be so serious as to be considered by the government as an epidemic and a public health matter to be taken to eradicate it or at least reduce re-occurrence?
What can magistrates do?
Clearly, finding a ‘cure’ isn’t straightforward – but we can all continue to contribute by working collaboratively with other agencies and organisations, whether nationally or more locally, to raise awareness of the potential consequences of knife crime.
The Greater Manchester Magistrates in the Community team’s work with Virtual Decisions is one example. We have developed other initiatives with different organisations which have also helped spread the word. From feedback received, the good news is that progress is being made and there has been a positive impact on people who have participated – not only from the virtual reality experience.
They may be small steps, but if the message can be maintained that anyone contemplating carrying a knife – or any other weapon – should stop, think, and ask themselves, “Is it really worth me doing this?” If the answer is, “I don’t have anything,” then that must be good news – and lives can continue as normal. However, if the answer is, “I’ve got a knife”, in real life, then there will be a vastly different outcome – particularly if it is used.
