There is a long-standing theory that deterrence is a balance of the size of the penalty and the rate of detection. As detection rates fall, penalties are increased to maintain the level of deference. In this case, detection is almost zero for these crimes and Great Britain’s level of sentencing is traditionally lower than the United States. Even with higher sentencing, this virtually non-existent enforcement would make deterrence very unlikely.
Adding to this problem is the fact the number of officers in England and Wales is at its lowest level since the late 1980s.
London has been experiencing a sharp increase in knife attacks, including his shocking video of a still unidentified man who attacked a car with a huge “Zombie killer” knife:
