How do we solve knife crime? I went from child in care to Saracens captain. I have some ideas...

A lot of young people are living in incredibly challenging situations and gangs become their family. They give them support and the promise of an exciting life – they see that as glamorous, writes Floyd Steadman

Floyd Steadman was the first Black captain of Saracens rugby club (Floyd Steadman)

The first emotion I felt when I read about the stabbing of a schoolgirl in Croydon was sadness – mixed with disappointment and anger.

We don’t yet know what happened in this case. But we do know that some young people turn to a life of crime because they think it is the way to make them money quickly and get them out of poverty. It’s desperately sad and frustrating that some of these same young men think they have to carry a knife around with them.

A lot of young people are living in incredibly challenging situations. Some are in gangs and those gangs become their family. They give them support and the promise of an exciting life. They see that as glamorous.