ABSENT MINDED

Missing dads ‘fuel rise in knife crime’

ABSENT fathers are to blame for the surge in knife crime, according to Britain’s top antiviolence police officer.

Dr Jackie Sebire said it was easy to attribute drugs, funding cuts and social media for the blade epidemic.

The assistant chief constable of Bedfordshire Police explained: “It’s not only about public services.

“It’s absent fathers, absent capable guardians in the community, it’s lack of role models.

“I don’t think we talk enough about those drivers around serious violence because it is easier to talk about drugs and social media.

“They do play a part, don’t get me wrong. But it’s not as simple as that.

“I’m not just saying fathers but it’s male role models in the community.

Dealers

“And where you do have positive male role models?

“They are potentially the drug dealers or the exploiters or the organised criminal networks.

“We talk about the stereotype absent father, whether they’re physically absent or too busy working every hour God sends.

“Children in more affluent areas are left to their own devices as well.

“Fathers can be physically present but absent in the child’s life.’’

Dr Sebire – the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s lead on serious violence – added that some parents did not even collect their kids from police stations.

She said: “The worst thing is when mum and dad won’t come or actually they’re too busy to come.

“That’s the saddest thing that I see when they have no care – whether it’s mum or dad – and we have to get the appropriate adult services because they can’t be bothered.’’

Dr Sebire believes that many teens don’t even fear going to prison. She added: “They don’t care if they are going to be sentenced.

“What they care about is that moment. There is this normalisation of violence as part of youth culture.”