Ex Eastender's Brother stabbed to death

[StarsOfCCTV]

And the thing is there's no mandatory education about guns or knives. That could do so much for kids. Perhaps it's too late to save my generation from killing each other but they can still catch the kids while they are young.

[Chloe O'brien]

Am I just being old-fashioned when I believe that if young people can't be convicted for the crimes they commit the their parents should be convited instead. There has been 17 murders in London this year and most of those responsible have been young people. Dr T made a valid point about more policing on the streets. It was the same when I was growing up we allways had a local bobby walking the beat. But society has changed, when I was young and you got into trouble by the police you were taken home and punished, if you broke someone's window with a ball you paid for the window out of your pocket money. Now Police won't walk the beat because they are too flaming scared, when they take young people back home to report their crimes to their parents they are faces with a hurl of abuse or the parents trying to pass the buck with the sob-story "oh they won't listen to me" These parents need to be forced to take action for their kids. If we cant jail the kids, Jail the parents instead.

I will say that of all the young people over the country who have lost their lives this year, all those responsible will be as young as their victims, but they did not decide to wake up one Saturday or Sunday morning and think oh I think I will go and kill someone today. No these scumbags would have had a history or violence from a young age. Now is the time for the government to start holding parents accountable if a boy of 12 is found guilty of a crime when he's 12 or 13 jail his parents before his crimes get out of hand.

[StarsOfCCTV]

I don't think the parents can be blamed fully for it though...I was watching the programs on gangs, guns and knives on channel 4 last night and this kid was talking about how his parents would ground him because of the people he hung around with and the stuff he did but he'd just jump out of the window...plus if a parent if working they can't keep an eye on their kids all the time. If you jail a parent then that's just keeping them from looking after their kid, possibly making the problem worse and if they are a single parent then the kid might have to go into care for a while. Sure some parents are guilty of not caring where their child goes or what they do (I've had friends who's parents are like that) but if a teenager starts going out of control I don't think there's much you can do. Obviously I don't have kids of my own but from personal experience...they can only turn their lives around if they want too, their parents aren't going to make a whole lot of difference..

The jail sentence should be increased for murderers though. Life should mean life not just 20 years.

[Chloe O'brien]

I understand a lot of what you say Stars, as I may be in the wrong or in the minority on this subject, but a parent you ground kids for not tidying their rooms or fighting with their brothers/sisters not for hanging around carrying a wepon. Its the same for all these kids who constantly binge drink and get taken to hospital 3 times a week, where are they getting the money from their parents. I know some teenagers can go off the rails despite their parents trying to keep them on the straight and narrow. If a child is taught right from wrong from and early age and brought up to respect values not left to hang as they grow then there will be lest chance that they will turn to a life of crime or god-forbid in an early grave. If a young person is going off the railes then support and educate the parents make them take responsiblities too many parents let their unruly kids be taken into care as it shifts the blame from them and it shouldn't

Lack of places to go for young people is also to blame, When I was a teenager we had two or three youth clubs that we could go to most of them were supervised by parents and I have help run youth-clubs before myself. Now everyone has to be fully disclosed, which I understand but many adults won't help out at youth clubs because they are not getting paid and it's left to the same small group of adult all the time. I f the governemnt were to put more resources into activities for young people but make it manditory that their parents help out on a rota basis. It would force a lot of parents to towing their kids into line and not shutting their door and letting their kids run riot while they watch EE in peace.

[Perdita]

I agree with the lack of facilities for youngsters probably being a large part of the problem, kids these days have nowhere to go or it is far too expensive. Youth Clubs have closed because of lack of staffing or authorities willing and/or able to finance a venue. Also the fact that both parents tend to be at work and not, as in my youth, where usually the mother was at home to keep an eye on things helped to keep youngsters off the street, getting bored. I know that everything is about money these days and all parts of life need more funding but I feel that kids and facilities for them always seem to get the short straw when monies are allocated.

[lizann]

RIP Ben Kinsella

Sympathies to Brooke and her family

[StarsOfCCTV]

I do agree about the lack of youth facilities, but today, we missed the coach to brighton so we just went around London, and to the science museum - which is actually quite fun! Under 18's travel free on coaches and the science museum is free so really kids don't have that much excuse not to do anything! If they actually did a bit of research they could find things to do for free.

[Kim]

Aww poor Brooke; I didn't even know she had a brother until now. That's no age to die

[Kirsty :]]

I couldn't even imagine what his family and friends are going through right now

This whole gun/knife crime thing is getting way out of control!
I just do not understand why this is all happening, I definately agree with all your posts about parents not disciplining and lack of facilities and that there should be more education on this stuff.

At the end of the day there are so many natural things killing people what with natural disasters and so many illnesses, we don't need people taking lives away too! No-one has the right to take a life away like that, absolutely no-one.

[Xx-Vicky-xX]

Did anyone see in the sun today that they are doing a badge with a "K" on it that Ben designed originally as a family logo that public can get to show support of Brooke's plans to fight against knife crime.