I’m sick and tired of listening to politicians dithering about what should be done about knife crime. Last year 347 under-16s were taken to A&E with stab wounds. The number of child knife killers has risen by 77 per cent in two years. Knifepoint robberies by teenagers have leapt by more than 50 per cent in the same period.

The solution? Bring back National Service for all 16 to 25-year-olds. If they are not on the streets they can’t do any damage.

Just think about the savings for the NHS, the police and other organisations.

Too bad that all the people who know how to run the country are busy driving taxis and cutting hair.

Colin Henson,

Woodthorpe, York

Proper investment is needed in policing

What’s the difference between Theresa May and Julia Mulligan?

There isn’t one; they’re both in denial about the link between spiralling street crime and the dwindling number of police officers.

Stabbings in major cities are the extreme end of a trend of knife crime, street violence, disorder, and anti social behaviour that is growing fast in York and elsewhere.

Fuelled by tribalism, greed and resentment, the whole spectrum of this type of crime is exacerbated by drug and alcohol misuse.

Disrespect is at the heart of the matter, with self respect, family values and respect for authority the casualties in need of attention through a co-ordinated strategy.

What signals do those in authority send by withdrawing police officers from the street, closing local police stations, turning police patrols into first responders, tackling problems with overworked task forces, and failing to attend crime scenes?

A law and order focus is the requirement of keeping citizens safe: so let’s have a proper investment in policing before violence in our streets spirals completely out of control.

Allan Charlesworth

Old Earswick, York

Police presence on the streets is key

The Prime Minister would have us believe “there is no direct correlation between certain crimes and police numbers”.

On that criteria, are we to assume that when police regularly walked the streets and knife crime a rarity it was pure coincidence? I think not!

Peter Rickaby,

West Park, Selby

Greater punishments needed for criminals

Part of the reason knife crime is on the increase is because criminals are not being punished strongly enough because the prisons are full to overflowing.

We have needed new prisons for decades but no government, either Labour and Conservative, will provide the money needed.

So recommendations have been sent to courts to not incarcerate anyone except in the most extreme cases - just dole out suspended sentences or let them off with a slapped wrist.

So now we have a situation where knife crime has increased to a very dangerous level while at the same time police numbers have steadily decreased.

Please let’s move into the 21st century, modernise our prisons, restructure the police service and increase the number of officers on the ground, or we will go over the precipice into chaos and disorder.

I worked for the police as a civilian control room supervisor for 21 years, so I have some experience.

Ann Cruickshank,

Moor Hill Court,

Huddersfield