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Is the knife amnesty doomed to fail?

The answer, if the listeners of Radio 1's Newsbeat and 1Xtra's TXU are to be believed, is yes.

We've covered the story heavily on both networks after the recent spate of stabbings in the headlines, and many of our listeners reckon ministers simply don't get it. They don't get modern culture, the need for self defence and the sheer impracticality of expecting the bad boys (or even the good girls) to dump their blades.

1Xtra's documentary 'Young, Armed and Terrified' aired on Wednesday (you can hear it by clicking here). Presented by Aml Ameen (who played Trife in ), we asked are people looking for trouble when they carry a knife - or just trying to stay safe?

Vivid case histories of the devastating effects of knife crime followed - along with the fear of attack so many feel on Britain's streets. Urban teenagers are more at risk from crime than any other group - and this group rapidly responded to our doc. Gary texted in, and we phoned him back and put him on air straightaway - he was stabbed four times in the back trying to protect his girlfriend, and his view was that you can't stop people from fighting or carrying knives - it's the language and the rules of the streets.

Other views from Radio 1 listeners (following some brilliantly compulsive reporting from Newsbeat's Toby Sealey in Bristol) included the women who carry knives in their handbags for protection - and always will, even with the threat of 5 years in jail. And also the teenager who lives in rural Britain who said, "I live in a really quiet, peaceful village - there's no trouble here - but me and my mates carry knives 'cos it's so cool."