A charity has some uncharitable words with regard to the government’s actions:

Chris Eades, author of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies (CCJS) report, said: “Not enough is known about the carrying and use of knives or why people engage in those activities.

“Consequently, the government is constructing responses without any credible evidence that they will be successful.

“Knife amnesties will have a negligible impact since knives will be available as long as there is unsliced bread.

“If the goal of criminal justice policy is to reduce the number of victims and the harm they suffer, we should look at the root causes – the inclination or desire to resort to violence.”

Official statistics show violent knife crime in England and Wales has dropped in the last 10 years.

Sharp and very pointed analysis. The drop is apparently due to an overall decline in the use of knives, rather than effectiveness of the government program. But since when does an elected or even appointed official not take credit for positive results, regardless of their involvement or the real cause? Post hoc, propter hoc…