Violent crime is making the headlines. The question is, how is the Government going to eradicate it or is it too late? They look for all kinds of answers. They are blaming it on community centres being shut because of cutbacks and so on. That could be part of it, but in my opinion it goes much further than that.

Also they talk about school exclusion, ie being expelled from school. If someone is being excluded from the classroom it means they are out of control in the first place. They obviously are not being brought up properly. These people are juvenile delinquents, with no respect for anything or anyone.

In my view, quite simply, the only way to tackle the violence is to firstly, make it more difficult to buy knives over the counter. Parents should check their children are not carrying them in the first place, and warn them of the consequences.

Tougher sentences need to be imposed.

It’s true cutbacks in services is a contributory fact. All the services need to be reinstated. Money needs to be spent where it is needed. Reopening community centres, more social activities for young people etc. Nevertheless, it takes a certain type of person who would carry a knife with intent to commit murder. These people are more than out of control, they need professional help. Drug dealing and knife crime is one thing, but murder on the scale we are seeing is another. We have a crisis to deal with, and urgent action needs to be taken now. If the Government can’t sort it out, they should think about bringing in the army. The people who commit violent crimes need to get a life not a sentence.

Judy Freedman

Woodford Avenue, Ilford