Poll: Do you support the introduction of body scanners at schools to search for knives?

Would you support the introduction of body scanners at schools in this area?

One in 10 children have told their parents they have seen another pupil carrying a knife in school, a new survey reveals.

Almost 70% of parents questioned as part of the same research would also welcome body scanners being introduced at schools in their area to detect concealed weapons.

The new research has emerged in the results of a survey carried out by Google on behalf of the Mail and parent company Johnston Press’s investigations unit.

It follows our story yesterday in which we revealed how the number of knife seizures at nationwide schools had more than tripled in the last five years.

Figures across the North East in areas such as Sunderland, South Tyneside and Hartlepool are thankfully far lower than elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

The Google survey also showed an overwhelming 81.5% of people thought it was right that schools should search pupils without consent if they suspect them of carrying prohibited items such as knives.

In addition, just over 60% of respondents felt the Government was not doing enough to combat knife crime among young people.

The nationwide survey questioned more than 1,000 adults between the ages of 25 to 64.

Respondents were asked six questions covering linked issues such as school security, their own concerns about knife crime among young people in their own community and the Government’s response to the problem.

In reply to whether they would support the introduction of mandatory body scanners in schools, more than two-thirds (67 %) agreed with only one third (33 %) disagreeing.

Fifty per cent said their children had never seen a student carry such a weapon at school while 40 % said they either didn’t have children of school age or were childless.

Only 6% felt the Government was doing enough to combat knife crime among young people with 61 % insisting more could be done and the remaining third unsure.

Seventy per cent also stated it was too easy for young people to access knives with 6% disagreeing and 24 % unsure.

The sixth question in our Google survey asked respondents how concerned they were about knife crime among young people in their local community.

Thirty-six per cent, the largest percentage out of four options, said they were quite concerned with 28% insisting they were very concerned, 19% feeling neither concerned or unconcerned and 17% maintaining they were unconcerned.