Unlike policing cuts, the way in which young and not so young people in certain communities resort to knifes and even guns when they feel they need to damage others or protect themselves is far from homogenous across the UK. Our sympathy for the places where this is the case must not turn into fear that it is happening in our neighbourhoods. The cases we have heard about from London, Manchester and Liverpool in recent weeks may well have raised fear amongst people of all ages right across the nation. It is vital at this point for the press and for politicians to make it clear that gang related issues take place in very focused and generally small urban areas and they need to avoid trying to find a one size fits all solution. The one thing we can all be sure about is that POLICE CUTS WENT FAR TOO DEEP SEVERAL YEARS AGO and so the impact of lower levels of preventative activities will emerge right across the nation. What was tragic when those cuts were made was that the Tory PCCs did not speak out against their, then Home Secretary who is now our Prime Minister. However the way in which communities respond to a lack of preventative action is not the same and so we need a coherent and intelligent approach to such matters. I wrote about knife crime matters in Sussex here a few days ago here and although not many people read it, the story is still relevant to explain why we need to focus on communities and not on national headlines. Of course along with a lack of funds for policing, the lack of funds for youth work is also deeply concerning as I have written about many times in the past.