Boston: City of Switchblades?

Even though the number of shootings in the city have dropped, the number of stabbings has gone up 10 percent. Maria Cramer at the Globe reports that gangs are sending word that knives are preferable to guns because there's less punishment if someone is caught with one. Of course, plenty of guns are out there. The BPD found a hidden AK-47 with a full banana clip last night.

The good news about this stat is that the BPD's attempts to crack down on guns is working. People who are inclined to use them are afraid to do so. The other good news is that people with grudges and guns are less likely to hurt innocent bystanders if they have bad aim. See Exhibit A: Grandma Joyce Gomes, who got hit in the leg while sitting on her porch. She probably wishes the people who shot her had knives and had to get close enough to identify their targets properly.

But the bad news is hard to ignore - no matter how many weapons are confiscated, nothing will change until people can settle their beefs without violence. And, as DA Dan Conley pointed out, ordinary fights can get more deadly. So, if it's the gangs who are still using weapons, whether they be guns or knives, what can the gang negotiators offer?