Thursday 17 July 2008

Social Networking VS Knife Crime

Recently i have found an interesting social networking website targeting Knife crime. (Click the title to find out more)

Victim or Suspect??

Due to research i have found out that most teenagers say that they only carry weapons for their own safety. Constant reports of knife crime within the media is causing a moral panic and forcing more teens to carry knives in aid of their protection. During research i have found an interesting term to sum up what this issue is. (click here to find out more). The UK government is trying to reduce teenage knife crime by running a new series of poster advertisements with the slogan "If you carry a knife you're more likely to get stabbed yourself". Hopefully alerting teens of the danger. If no one carried knives for their protection, there would be no fear for others to carry knives and knife crime rate of would reduce significantly. The campaign features graphic examples of injuries inflicted by knives. Many argue and say this is too graphic to show to teenagers but others disagree and say that it will force the message across and allow them to value life more. Even the US may run a similar advertisement campaign but showing disturbing images of injuries caused by gun crime.

The video is below. Watch carefully as one boy is stabbed by his own knife (May be disturbing to some viewers)

Friday 11 July 2008

Kidulthood/Adulthood trailer

Kidulthood Trailer


Adulthood Trailer

Thursday 10 July 2008

Kidulthood/Adulthood - Does it influence or deter crime ?

When Kidulthood was released in 2006. The film begins with the suicide of a girl bullied at school, it showed a relatable society where violence, drug-taking and casual sex were common amongst the young. Adulthood has grown up a little bit. The violence, drug taking and casual sex are still present but now the film comes with a conscience.
Its main aim was to raise awareness to teenagers about gun, knife and gang violence in this day and age. Many arguments have sparked as people believe that the films just influence crime as more and more teenagers glorify the film, instead of understanding the real meaning. Others disagree and believe that both films are an excellent way of raising awareness to the target audience. As it is a different approach to alerting teens about the danger of knife and gang crime.

Below are some good arguments for and against the issue.

'I think that only a very small portion of the people watching this film would be influenced into violence by watching it. You cant just say that Kidulthood and Adulthood influence teenagers into violent behaviour as everyone is different and some people are more mature than others. I believe the film deters crime more than influences it as the consequences in kidulthood leads to Trifes death. Not many teens would see this as a glorifying moment.'

'It obvious that these type of films inspire youngsters to commit such acts as stabbing. The films just give the youngsters the wrong message and a false confidence boost to live up the life of these actors. I have recently went to watch Adulthood myself and the themes that the film contained was too violent to be a 15 certificate. This is risky as they may look up to this films and want to be just like them.'

'I am a young teen myself and i like violent films. I think that Kidulthood and Adulthood do not influence gang and knife crime today. For example we could blame violence on Tom and Jerry'

'My personnel opinion is that in no way does it influence crime in the UK, I think it is a joke to suggest that it does.
I'll tell you what influences crime in the UK, the way we glorify criminals and portray them as men of the people, likeable rogues cheekiy chappies getting one over on the law'

The director Noel Clarke says that:
"Hopefully, Adulthood could be the start of some sort of repair, because it shows young people you can actually walk away from things. Kidulthood was viewed as the glamorizing negative themes. I recall watching Kidulthood a few years back, and as I was watching it i kept thinking that the story-line is way too much exaggerated and it definatley might have some sort of bad influence on teenagers to perform the same activities within the film.'

If you have seen either Kidulthood or Adulthood, please leave your arguments in the comments section to whether you feel they influence or deter crime.

Family views on knife crime

Families become victims of knife crime when you lose a child or loved one. One thing i noticed was how the media uses interviews with the parents to show the cruelty and disruption that knife killings cause within the family.

Take a look at the videos below to see how the media forces sympathetic thoughts in the minds of knife carriers.



Wednesday 9 July 2008

Disarming Britain Trailer

Dispatches: Disarming Britain Season

On the 30th June, channel 4 dispatchers launched a gun and knife crime week. Dispatches documentaries give you an in-depth look at news stories. The documentaries take you behind the scenes to give you an insight into people's lives or institutions. Thy show us stories that will shock and disturb you and hopefully promote change within the target audience.

The season involved short films such as Fallout, Dispatches, Kids, Knives & Broken Lives, Eye 4 An Eye, and a 3D game called Dead Ends.

Click the title to find out more information.