Nick Clegg has said a Conservative plan to automatically jail an offender convicted twice for possessing a knife would be a "step backwards".
The deputy prime minister said the idea would "undermine the government's progress" in reducing crime.
Writing in the Guardian, he also suggested the policy could turn young offenders into hardened criminals.
The justice minister wants mandatory six-month jail terms for adults convicted twice for carrying a knife.
Chris Grayling's policy, which was leaked to the press last week, has the support of several Conservative ministers, but David Cameron has not yet revealed whether he will formally back it.
Mr Clegg suggested the plan was a "headline-grabbing" solution following the murder of the Leeds schoolteacher Ann Maguire, who was stabbed to death in front of her pupils.
The Liberal Democrat leader said that by trying to sound tough, politicians could end up making the situation worse.
"When someone is caught carrying a knife, we need to do something about it," he wrote in the newspaper.
"But six months in prison is not always the right answer."
'Hardened criminals'
Mr Clegg said the policy, which seeks to automatically sentence someone to a minimum six months in prison the second time they are caught with a knife - "even a penknife, in your pocket" - could harm rehabilitation prospects.
The proposal seeks to jail an adult convicted for the second time of possessing a knife for six months
"Imagine a vulnerable young girl hanging round with members of a gang. She could be forced into carrying a knife by another gang member; it happens a lot," Mr Clegg said.
When stopped by the police, the girl may not mention that she was forced to to carry the knife for fear of retribution, he said.
"Putting someone like that into prison could push them into the arms of hardened criminals, and let the gang leaders off the hook," Mr Clegg said.
"Instead of prison, we need to divert vulnerable people away from gang culture."
'Step backwards'
The deputy prime minister said while prison was the right option for violent offenders, judges should be allowed to use their expertise and judgement in deciding on individual cases.
Justice Minister Chris Grayling's proposal is said to have the support of at least 25 Conservative MPs
He said while minimum sentencing might "sound attractive in media headlines", there was a "serious risk" it could undermine the role of judges.
"This is why I believe this proposed law would be a step backwards," Mr Clegg added.
"It would undermine the government's progress in establishing a rehabilitation revolution, and reducing crime. We need to treat knife crime very seriously by letting judges choose the sentence to fit the crime.
"Turning the young offenders of today into the hardened criminals of tomorrow is not the answer."
More than 25 Tory MPs are said to be backing the mandatory six-month jail term policy for adults convicted of a second offence involving a knife.
The move is understood to have the support of prominent Conservative Party members including Home Secretary Theresa May and Education Secretary Michael Gove.
Labour has not yet made clear whether it will support the plan when it is brought before the House of Commons.
But Mr Clegg said, if it does, the party would be "playing politics with this issue".
He said if Labour backed the proposal it would be "clear that they have learned nothing from their time in government, when they let the prison population spiral out of control".
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