'Hopelessness to blame for crime'

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The conference, in Brixton, south London, involving church activists and young people, has been organised by the Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB) and the Ascension Trust.

The Rev Les Isaac of the Ascension Trust said young people involved in crime often felt they were the "victims of their own circumstances". He said the problem of knife crime could take 15 years to turn around.

"Young people are angry. They are confused. They feel a tremendous sense of hopelessness," he said. "What people are looking for is to know that they are valued and that they are loved. If we could go out and say to young people, 'you are worth something, we love you, we want to help', young people will look at their lifestyle and begin to rethink what they are doing."

His comments come after a spate of stabbings in the capital, which saw the number of teenagers to die violently in London this year rise to 20.

Mr Isaacs, himself a former gang member and street fighter, added: "Drug dealers are using their entrepreneurial skills. Some of them are controlling three mobile phones at once.

"If we can help them to recognise they have something of value and if we can help them to develop that skill, it will be one of the greatest things we can do for this generation."

The conference on gun and knife crime also involves the Metropolitan Police, former gangsters, churches and agencies.

Meanwhile, Gordon Brown has promised new measures to tackle knife crime following the latest "shocking and tragic" stabbings in London.

The Prime Minister's pledge came after the UK's most senior police officer - Sir Ian Blair - warned there were no quick fixes for tackling knife crime after four men were stabbed to death in the city in less than 24 hours. Mr Brown said Home Secretary Jacqui Smith would outline the Government's latest plans on Monday.