[Margaret Pilkington]

In days gone by the teens would have gone to the church youth club, or the scouts,or the sea cadets.etc......but these organisations are no longer seen as 'cool'...remember peer group pressure on children is huge.
Older guys may get the younger children to carry dangerous items(drugs, knives, guns).....this gives the younger child some kudos, maybe some cash/drugs....and the older guy is safe in the knowledge that the young child will not be prosecuted, or serve a jail term because he is deemed to be under the age of responsibility. I think this has got to change....though I am not sure how. We have to take away the 'glamour/kudos ' of carrying a deadly weapon....again, I do not know how this could be done, but until we do then I fear there will be more young boys and maybe even girls slaughtered in this ugly and meaningless manner.