Knife crime campaign gets its show on the road in south west Edinburgh
Fresh from the launch of the No Knives Better Lives campaign in South West Edinburgh, community safety partners in the city are hitting the streets this week in a bid to engage with local residents on the issue of knife crime.
Community safety professionals will be on hand to give residents more information about the No Knives Better Lives initiative which aims to educate young Scots about the dangers of carrying a knife and the devastating personal consequences it can have on their future, as well as on their family and friends.
No Knives Better Lives was launched in South West Edinburgh at the start of February by Scottish Government Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill.
The first in a series of roadshows takes place on today (13 February) at Westside Plaza in Wester Hailes. Teams will then be on hand at Sighthill Shopping Centre and the Somerfield store in Dalry tomorrow (14 february) and Wednesday 15 February.
South west Edinburgh is one of 11 priority areas for the No Knives Better Lives campaign selected in consultation with the National Violence Reduction Unit, based on knife crime data and police force intelligence along with data from the Scottish Government.
Community Safety Leader, Councillor Paul Edie, said: "These roadshows are an ideal opportunity to get the message across about the dangers of carrying a knife and the terrible consequences they can have on innocent victims.
"We are fully behind the No Knives Better Lives campaign which supports the current diversionary activities we already run in the south west of Edinburgh. These allow our young people to make positive choices and avoid damaging their lives by being caught carrying a knife."
Lothian and Borders Police Area Commander, Superintendent David Carradice, said: "The No Knives Better Lives campaign is a welcome addition to the existing work in south west Edinburgh aimed at tackling violent crime. We are confident that the initiative will go a long way to helping young people make the right choices when it comes to knife crime and choosing not to carry a knife.
"Knife crime affects everyone and for too long has blighted communities across Scotland . It simply will not be tolerated on our streets and residents should be reassured that together with our partners, young people and local community members, we will be unrelenting on this issue. Together we can make a difference and keep people safe."
In south west Edinburgh, the programme is a partnership between the Scottish Government, Edinburgh Violence Reduction Programme, the City of Edinburgh Council and Lothian and Borders Police - who are already working together to provide high quality diversionary activities for young people.
To find out more about
the No Knives Better Lives campaign, visit www.noknivesbetterlives.com
Extra information:
· No Knives Better Lives is a national youth engagement initiative aimed at educating young people about the dangers of carrying a knife and the devastating personal consequences it can have on their future, as well as on their family and friends.
· It gives young people good reasons not to carry a knife, showing them that it's not worth the risks or consequences, and helps shape positive attitudes and influences better life choices by promoting diversionary activities.
· A number of partners in south west Edinburgh - including the Scottish Government, Edinburgh Violence Reduction Programme, City of Edinburgh Council and Lothian and Borders Police - already work together to provide high quality diversionary activities for young people.
· An advertising campaign tailored specifically for the south west Edinburgh area will also roll out this year, aimed at young people (aged 11-17) in the community depicting the life-changing choice between 'knife' or 'life' that many young people face.
· South west Edinburgh is one of six new priority areas for the No Knives Better Lives campaign along with East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire and South East Glasgow.
· The Scottish Government has also so far invested over £44 million of cash seized from crooks and reinvested it back into a range of diversionary activities for young people at risk of becoming involved in anti-social behaviour as part of the Cashback for Communities initiative. http://www.youthlinkscotland.org
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