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Gun crime is actually down in London over the last year though even a cursory look at the headlines would give readers a different impression. Reacting to concern about a spate of shootings in London, where three teenagers were murdered in 11 days and a man was killed on Saturday, Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair wants to introduce tougher penalties for carrying a gun and gang membership.
This may be necessary, but it is not the solution. Gun and gang crime flourish in areas of economic hardship. There is less incidence of crime and law-breaking in more upmarket areas where young men, the most impressionable sector, have choices.
Money is not the answer but investment that creates opportunities is. Giving people, especially young people, a chance to make something of themselves through education, work experience and social amenities will go a long way towards undermining the attraction of gangs.
It is not enough just to jail offenders or to seek stiffer sentences. When they are released they will still be young men with the potential to contribute to society. They must be shown that life can offer more than the despair and false bonhomie of gangs and a slamming cell door.
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