David Arnott: Forgiveness is vital in efforts to beat knife crime

I have too often heard firsthand stories from parents whose son or daughter has been killed by knives on the streets. Their words are heartbreaking. The scourge of knife crime is destroying families, community and the lives of young people, both victims and perpetrators.

Tackling an endemic problem such as knife crime requires a wide response from a range of organisations, from lawmakers to the police to

families and individuals. But it needs to begin in the same

streets and homes that knife crime happens.

Mandatory minimum sentences miss the point – we need to be targeting our efforts before someone decides to pick up a knife, not wait until the knife has been lifted. we need to ask what kind of fear of others or lack of sense of self-worth means carrying a knife seems like a

good choice. A church community project called Fare (Family Action in Rogerfield and Easterhouse) in east Glasgow has been running for more than 20 years to improve the neighbourhood and improve young people's aspirations. Churches believe that none of the problems often connected with knife crime, such as alcohol, gang identity, poverty or domestic abuse, are insurmountable but we know change takes time and effort and a willingness to work through failure. where there is faith, there is hope. Politicians need to be brave, face down the headlines demanding "instant responses" and "tougher action" and support the local initiatives and organisations that actually help people who have made destructive choices change their lives.

At the heart of that journey is understanding what we mean by forgiveness. The Christian faith is rooted on the story of a blameless man suffering a violent death, who with his last breath pleads for God's mercy for those who killed him. It's a lot to live up to, but let no-one suggest it is a weak or soft option.

• The Right Reverend David Arnott is Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.