Knives.

When I was a lad I carried a knife, as did the vast majority of my contemporaries. They were pen-knives, and ranged from the simple two-bladed affair to the more sophisticated ones with several tools, including that little pick which was said to be for getting stones out of 'orses 'ooves. We saw them simply as utensils, and very useful they were for sharpening pencils, cutting string and so on. What point am I making? Well, I think it is that it's not the carrying of knives that is the problem - it's the intent with which they are carried. And yet the official response seems to be solely directed at trying to eradicate the carrying of knives, and as one commentator wisely said, even if that policy succeeds, those with evil intent will simply switch to carrying some other weapon. What we need (and I know it's easier said than done) is a policy which addresses the mindset of those who see violence as their way of making a point.