What can be done about knife crime?

The Prime Minister is meeting with top police officers to talk about lowering the age at which you can be taken to court for carrying a knife from 18 to 16.

The move follows lots of knife attacks on young people around the UK. There have been 16 in London alone.

So what do YOU think of the idea? Do you think it will help or maybe you think more should be done, maybe even dropping the age to 12 or 13?

Are you worried about knife crime and what do you think should be done?

Unfortunately this topic is now closed but there are Comments pages on other subjects on the main Chat index.

Your comments

"I think that loads of teenagers have got killed in the past, so it is not a good idea to carry knives. I think the police should do something about it."

Lily, 12, London, England

"I think it doesn't matter what age you are, you are still carrying a weapon and it could be used against someone. It should be lowered to at least 12-14, as young people can be just as harmful with weapons as adults. "

Caz, 13, Leicester, England

"I agree that lowering the age down to 12 or 13 would get children to stop carrying knives because they don't want to get sent to court."

Natalie, 10, Derbyshire, England

"I think they should drop the age to 11. Anyone who has caused terror or even harmed someone with a knife should be taken to court! There should also be more police around - I can go months without seeing one police man/woman!! This is terrible and action should be taken immediately."

Rachel, 13, Portsmouth, England

"I think they should have more police patrols on the streets to reduce the number of stabbings."

Samuel, 11, Hertfordshire, England

"We both think that knives should be banned from stores and should have a special shop that only lets 18 or 20-year-olds to go in and get a knife."

Michaela and Leah, 11, Pickering, UK

"I think that both the young person committing the crime and their parents should be sent to an army boot camp to teach the children respect and their parents how to effectively manage their children's behaviour."

Cory, 12, Liverpool, England

"I think people who carry a knife should spend 10 - 20 years in prison."

Aaron, 11, Kingswinford, England

"I think knives are pointless. People are actually stupid carrying them around because they are not smart and are putting themselves in danger!"

Heather, 11, Kilwinning, Scotland

"I think people do it so they think no-one will try and hurt them, but they are putting themselves in danger by carrying a knife."

Marie, 11, Thirsk, England

"I think there is no point in lowering the age, people are still going to carry pen knives etc. More action is needed."

Marty, 14, Armagh, Northern Ireland

"The price of knives should not go up as some people need them like rock climbers or campers as it can save their lives."

Reece, 14, Stoke-on-Trent, England

"I don't think it matters what age a person is, if they commit a crime, they should be punished for it."

Will, 14, Southampton, England

"I am a Scout and I have several knives, but I would never carry them around."

Harrison, 13, Ipswich, England

"Knife crime is a serious offence... and people need to realise that. I am FOR the government's proposal of lowering the age and I see it fit to be lowered much further than that. Knife crime is a serious offence NO MATTER WHAT AGE!"

Rosa, 12, Winchester, England

"I think police and parents should check kids at school and at home."

Josh, 14, Bedfordshire, England

"Knives are a big problem in the area I live in but I think as well as people carrying knives around to be cool and feel protected, it is also video games with violence in. Like if you have an old brother or sister they might take a game off them that is too old for them. People who carry knives are just as likely to be a victim of knife crime if they carry one."

Laura, 12, Newcastle, England

"I think you are right about the knives. It is time someone did something about it. On the news it is always saying a 16 year old boy has been stabbed to death."

Lucy, 14, Lancashire, England

"I think they should ban penknives because they are dangerous."

Stacey, 12, near Tonypandy, Wales

"A lot of these children carrying knives are vulnerable and need help. Our prison system isn't helping them and the proposed system won't either."

Mi, 13, Lincoln, England

"I think you should get a fine because you should not be hurting other people. And you can hurt yourself by carrying them in your pocket."

Kirsty, 11, Dudley, England

"I think that all public places should have a metal detector, but that still does not stop people having them outside a building."

Lizzie, 12, Penarth, Wales

"I once knew someone who carried a knife and he faced BIG consequences and was suspended from school because he took it in!"

Alex, 11, Durham, England

"Knife crime is a re-occurring problem which needs to be solved. The government needs to ban knives being sold in shops The government need more police on the streets."

Ben, 13, Fulham, England

"Children just carry knives because they think it makes them look cool and hard, but if you carry a knife you're likely to get stabbed, then you're the victim."

Olivia, 10, Nottingham, England

"Knives are dangerous weapons, you shouldn't carry one or use one."

Gabriella, 10, Ripley, England

"I agree that stabbing is unacceptable. I think people aged 16 to 13 year olds should be sent to court if they have knives on the streets."

Amy, 10, Derbyshire, England

"I think there should be better punishments because they could be role models to younger kids."

Fiona, 12, Leicester, England

"You should be arrested or taken to court if you have a knife - no matter how old you are!"

Lamin, 12, Birmingham, England

"Well, I think we could stop it all by putting CCTV all around."

Charley, 13, Addington, England

"I think that it should be dropped to a younger age because even though they are young they have the potential to kill someone, even if it's not on purpose. It's dangerous."

Helen, 14, Newcastle, England

"I think knife crime is disgusting and the age for going to court for having a knife should be lowered."

Carney, 8, Wiltshire, England

"There should be stricter consequences for people found with knives. If people feel safer they will not feel they need a knife to protect themselves, so as other crimes go down so should the number of people found with knives."

Beth, 13, Liverpool, England

"I think that everyone aged 10 or over should be arrested if found with knives that can KILL."

Clark, 9, Yorkshire, England

"I think no child should be carrying knives because it is dangerous."

Avneet, 8, London, England

"As long as kids have knives they should be taken to court."

Emma-Alys, 10, Staffordshire, England

"I think in just a few years time there'll be people as young as 10 carrying knives. I'd be so surprised if the gun rate went down between now and 2012."

Saffron, 12, Kent, Kent

"I think it's a good idea because it will stop younger kids doing the same thing."

James, 12, Sussex, England

"I think that people aged 12 and 13 should face big consequences because they should know right and wrong."

Daniella, 12, Manchester, England

"I think we should put the price of knives up to about £50."

Kurt, 11, London, England