Concerns for youth crime are mounting, with the west recording two separate fatal knife incidents that killed two teenage boys in recent weeks.
Veteran western suburbs youth worker Les Twentyman said rising youth crime cannot simply be policed out.
“When [kids] commit acts of violence … [they] are not thinking about getting caught or being sent to prison, or even that they may take a life,” he said.
“They are not thinking at all and our job is to get them to think. Well before a thought of grabbing a knife or other weapon could possibly enter their mind.”
On May 18, a 16-year-old Melton South teenager died after being stabbed in Sunshine.
Less than six weeks later, a 14-year-old Braybrook teenager was killed on June 26, after being hit by a car and knifed by two attackers in St Albans.
Mr Twentyman said fear is a major factor behind the recent spike in youth knife crime, with others arming themselves for protection after hearing stories of attacks.
He said education is key to tackling this issue and getting knives out of the hands of kids.
“Kids today are surrounded by violence. It is in video games, films, TV, in the songs they listen to and at times in the communities and households in which they live – we need to counter that.
“[We need] to help them discover that violence is not an answer … that there are better and positive ways to live your life and to guide them to find that path.”
Mr Twentyman said the issue of violence and anti-social behaviour needs to be addressed within every school, with a focus on prevention.
“… Let’s invest in all kids, work to ensure they have a clear understanding of what grabbing a weapon can mean and lead to, the damage it can do to so many lives,” he said.
“What we need is funding and support from [the] government so we can help more kids, which will save lives and deescalate the violence.“
