Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has unveiled a series of shock tactics in a bid to tackle knife crime.

Young offenders caught in possession of a knife are to be confronted with stabbing victims to underline the consequences of carrying a weapon.

They will visit A&E wards where people are being treated for knife wounds, meet relatives of stabbing victims and visit offenders jailed for such crimes.

However, Ms Smith has rejected Tory demands that anyone caught carrying a knife should expect to go to prison.

She said: "We know that tough community sentences including community payback, supervision and electronically monitored curfews are more likely to stop them carrying knives in future."

Nine out of 10 parents would back a curfew for under-16s, a poll for the Sunday Times shows.

Ms Smith has written to police forces in England and Wales reminding them of their powers to require pubs with knife problems to search customers on entry.

Orders have been issued to licensing authorities to crack down heavily on premises that allow under-age drinking.

And trading standards officers have been told to make test purchases a priority to ensure that shops are not selling knives to under-age youngsters.

The measures will be focused on eight "hotspot" police areas - London, West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Essex, Merseyside, Lancs and Thames Valley.

Ms Smith will work with Justice Secretary Jack Straw to see what can be done to highlight sentences handed down for knife offences in those areas.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson will look at ways the NHS can work with police, including reporting knife incidents.

In other measures, Ms Smith promised more street-based teams of youth workers to deter young people from becoming involved in crime.

She announced an extension of Operation Staysafe, which uses existing child protection legislation to remove young people from streets late at night for their own and the community's safety.

On Tuesday the Government's £100m crime action plan will be published.