(article) Teaching gang members first aid

[JusticeZero]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/dec/30/first-aid-knife-crime-liverpool

Gang members taught first aid for stab wounds

Rehabilitation course in Liverpool gives life-saving skills to young offenders involved in knife and gun crime

Teaching young, violent criminals the first aid techniques that could save the lives of fellow gang members might seem a dangerous move but a new project doing exactly that is gaining the attention of youth offending teams across the country.

The brainchild of a group of medical students at Liverpool University, the course specialises in teaching teenagers already involved in knife and gun crime the skills to give pre-hospital care immediately after a penetrating injury...

First aid skills are very important. I personally used to push students to take CERT training courses, which (along with other things) include first aid for serious injuries and injury stabilization - the class assumes that the skills are to be used in situations where calling 911 will get a response along the lines of "We're pretty busy, how is early next week looking for you?", and as such had to be a bit more in depth than just stabilizing the situation for incoming EMTs. I haven't lately, mostly because I haven't gotten in touch with the group here.

This is the first time i've seen anything that specifically tries to teach first aid to the people that are usually thought of as the "bad guys" though. I thought it was an interesting idea. Any thoughts on the idea?

[mal103]

It may help a few to change their view on carrying knives. If it goes from a gleaming super sharp hard man weapon carried by mega hard gangsta guys to a life threatening dangerous bit of kit carried by idiots and cowards.....

Edit to add that I personally think that knife/weapon carrying should carry an automatic sentence and not a caution. Using a knife/weapon in a threatening way would carry a higher sentence, trying to stab someone would be seen as attempted murder.

Only a deterrent and knowledge will deter in my opinion.

[Harkon72]

I agree, many gangers don't get to know what damage a knife does until it is too late. I have carried a knife while working on a farm and while fishing, if a policeman stopped me I would have a good reason to carry one. At Christmas 2011, a young mother was stabbed to death in our village; it sent shock waves through our close knit community. The assailant walked two miles to the victim's home with a kitchen knife under her top. This was judged to be intent to cause serious injury, the court found her guilty of murder and the use of a deadly weapon. She will receive no less than 18 years behind bars.

A wasted life, a miserable existence, three children left with no mother or a mother they will never know. I'm sure the women had no idea what kind of injuries a knife can do; it was a single stab wound, straight through her heart.

[MasterPain]

It may help a few to change their view on carrying knives. If it goes from a gleaming super sharp hard man weapon carried by mega hard gangsta guys to a life threatening dangerous bit of kit carried by idiots and cowards.....

Edit to add that I personally think that knife/weapon carrying should carry an automatic sentence and not a caution. Using a knife/weapon in a threatening way would carry a higher sentence, trying to stab someone would be seen as attempted murder.

Only a deterrent and knowledge will deter in my opinion.

I carry a knife. Not because I think I'm "hard" but because it gives me a better chance in case of serious danger. And it's a useful day to day tool. I don't see how that should be a crime. Nor do I feel that I am an idiot or a coward.

Also stabbing already is attempted murder, and threats ore a crime. Criminalizing a defensive tool is not constructive.

[andym]

MasterPain, this is in Great Britain - We have very different views in relation to carrying weapons remember. That said, I see this as a good thing - first aid in the first instance. But it might also bring home to the gang members the inevitable futility of that life style. I remember one football thug at work doing a company first aid course and finding it traumatic - the full implications of what he was up too. Pretty soon he had left being a football hooligan behind. So it just might work.

[MasterPain]

Football hooligans.... Europe's ridiculous phenomenon to answer us crazy armed "Mericans.

Anyway, I also see first aid as good training for anyone.

[bushido_man96]

It may help a few to change their view on carrying knives. If it goes from a gleaming super sharp hard man weapon carried by mega hard gangsta guys to a life threatening dangerous bit of kit carried by idiots and cowards.....

Edit to add that I personally think that knife/weapon carrying should carry an automatic sentence and not a caution. Using a knife/weapon in a threatening way would carry a higher sentence, trying to stab someone would be seen as attempted murder.

Only a deterrent and knowledge will deter in my opinion.

I carry a knife. Not because I think I'm "hard" but because it gives me a better chance in case of serious danger. And it's a useful day to day tool. I don't see how that should be a crime. Nor do I feel that I am an idiot or a coward.

Also stabbing already is attempted murder, and threats ore a crime. Criminalizing a defensive tool is not constructive.

I agree with MasterPain. I'm a fan of open carry, too. Not everyone carrying a weapon does so with bad intentions. Some want to keep themselves safe.

As for the point of the thread, I don't think its necessarily a bad thing for more people to know first aid. Teaching these "bad guys" how to save lives isn't a bad thing at all.