Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is to unveil plans to shock young people who carry knives into a greater awareness of the impact of stabbing on victims.

Her proposals include visits to hospitals where people are being treated for knife wounds.

The measures form part of the government's response to a spate of knife attacks.

On Thursday four men were stabbed to death in London and a fifth died after a knife attack in West Bromwich.

On Friday a 16-year-old youth was found guilty of murdering schoolboy Martin Dinnegan, 14, who Will on Obama ...
Smith calls for Rangers resolve ... was stabbed near his home in Holloway, north London in June last year.

Mrs Smith's proposals will see young people caught carrying knives being made to go to accident and emergency wards, to see for themselves the consequences of stabbings.

They will meet families of victims, and make prison visits to people convicted of knife offences.

The measures will focus on a number of areas including London, West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, Essex and the Thames Valley.

Mrs Smith said: "I am absolutely shocked at the tragic and senseless loss of life we have seen recently.

"I want to reassure everyone that the government is taking the issue of knife crime very seriously.

"I am particularly concerned about the young age of offenders and victims - that is why I am again emphasising what action we have taken and what new action we are demanding."

Mrs Smith also revealed she has written to all 43 chief constables in England and Wales, reminding them of their powers to require pubs and clubs that are associated with knife or gun problems to search customers on entry.

Early warnings

Ministers are also looking at how hospitals might work to help the police identify offenders without breaking patient confidentiality.

The announcement comes ahead of the publication on Tuesday of the government's £100m crime action plan to be launched by Mrs Smith, Justice Secretary Jack Straw and Children's Secretary Ed Balls.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the recent un-related knife deaths were "shocking and tragic," and promised the publication of a cross-government youth-crime plan.

Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve said children should be targeted in the first year of primary school to prevent them from turning to knife crime later.

He said there are primary head teachers "who can point out... children who are going to be a serious problem".

The approach was one of three key ways he said the Conservatives would employ to tackle knife violence.

(BBC)

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