# data[].attributes.body
For young people/ i pobl ifanc

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
True or false: The misconceptions of knife crime.

# data[].attributes.body
For young people/ i pobl ifanc

# data[].attributes.body
For professionals and young people / i gweithwyr proffesiynol a pobl ifanc

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Facts | Knife Violence Prevention Scotland

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The legal definition of an offensive weapon includes anything intended to be used to harm another person, like a sharpened comb. It's also illegal to carry a 'disguised knife' - anything with a concealed blade or sharp point that's made to look like an everyday object (like a pen, cigarette lighter or lipstick).

# data[].attributes.body
For young people/ i pobl ifanc

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Life Changing Decision | Knife Crime Prevention Scotland

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
You are about to become part of a story that could have serious consequences. The decisions you make will affect the outcome for you, your friends and your family.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Whittaker et al Postcodes to Profit Waltham Forest gang study 2018

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
MYTHS AND FACTS QUESTIONS and answers quiz

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Until about 2014, knife crime, as with overall violence, appeared to be on the decline - that's certainly what figures from the police, Ministry of Justice, and health service suggested.

Since then, police forces have been logging more violent offences. Some of that is because of better recording methods - but among the most serious types of violence, there has been a genuine increase.

Worryingly, the involvement of young people in knife crime has been growing, confirming anecdotal evidence that more boys (and girls) are carrying weapons, being drawn into gangs and exploited by drug dealers.

Ten-to-17-year-olds represent roughly 20% of those cautioned or convicted of knife offences - that's possession of a knife or threatening someone with one.

However, the most recent sentencing statistics show a very small decrease.

Most in that age group caught with a knife receive a community sentence or warning. One in nine is sentenced to a spell in youth custody.

The bigger picture

The Office for National Statistics is responsible for the Crime Survey of England and Wales, which estimates crime trends from a sample of 34,000 people aged between 16 and 64.

The advantage of the survey is that it captures incidents that aren't reported to police, as well as those that are.

In a more recent development, the survey has begun interviewing 10-15-year-olds to pick up crime trends among children.

The results indicate that the majority of violent incidents involving children aged 10-15 occur around schools, in daylight - and 92% lead to injury. Around 3% resulted in serious injury.

Police are alerted in only a minority of cases.

Knives and schools

Legislation banning people from carrying knives without good reason dates back 65 years. The maximum sentence is a four-year jail term.

Over the decades the law has been extended and penalties toughened. In 1988 it was made a specific offence to possess a knife in school.

The legislation also paves the way for knife-crime "prevention orders" that will allow the courts to apply conditions, such as curfews, exclusion zones and social-media bans on people aged 12 and over suspected of carrying knives.

There's some evidence that more children are taking knives into school.

A Freedom of Information request by BBC News, to which 27 police forces responded, suggested weapon possession at schools had doubled in four years.

Nearly two-thirds were sharp instruments, a category that includes knives but also everything from broken bottles to corkscrews.

It showed that 10-18-year-olds convicted of knife-possession offences were generally lower achievers - 91.1% of them achieved one or more GCSEs, compared with 99.7% for the population as a whole - and they were also more likely than their peers to have been excluded from school.

Increasing security

There are clear benefits of having police officers permanently stationed in secondary schools, where they can pick up intelligence, help defuse tensions and win the trust of students. Not every school would want or need one, of course, but some do.

However, there are only 420 safer-school officers in London, a city with 3,155 schools.

The Met Police aims to increase this to 600 by autumn 2019.

Youth Offending

Although there's been a rise in knife crime and strong evidence that young people are increasingly involved, in terms of crime overall there's been a substantial drop over the past decade in the number of 10-17-year-olds being arrested, prosecuted, convicted and detained.

That partly reflects long-term offending trends, as well as efforts by the authorities to avoid criminalising children.

As the numbers of young people in the justice system have fallen, the budget and workforce have been reduced.

Although the cutbacks might make economic sense, they're likely to fuel concerns they've compromised the effectiveness of youth justice services just when they're needed most.

This piece was originally published in November 2018, but is updated regularly to include the latest statistics.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Reality Check: Are more teenagers carrying knives?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Until about 2014, knife crime, as with overall violence, appeared to be on the decline - that's certainly what figures from the police, Ministry of Justice, and health service suggested. Since then, police forces have been logging more violent offences.

# data[].attributes.body
For young people/ i pobl ifanc

# data[].attributes.body
For young people/ i pobl ifanc

# data[].attributes.body
For young people/ i pobl ifanc

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ask me a question

You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I would be especially interested in hearing more about how coronavirus might have affected you at home and at school.
Write me a letter

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Is it illegal to have a fake knife in school | Childline

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ask me a question You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I would be especially interested in hearing more about how coronavirus might have affected you at home and at school. Write me a letter

# data[].attributes.body
For young people / i pobl ifanc

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A gang can be a group of mates who hang around together. But some gangs are involved in crime. Sometimes gangs are violent and might fight other gangs or carry weapons. If you're being forced to join a gang you should tell someone about it, or call Childline.

# data[].attributes.body
For young people / i pobl ifanc

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ask me a question

You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I would be especially interested in hearing more about how coronavirus might have affected you at home and at school.
Write me a letter

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Jail time for being in a gang | Childline

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ask me a question You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I would be especially interested in hearing more about how coronavirus might have affected you at home and at school. Write me a letter

# data[].attributes.body
For young people / i pobl ifanc

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Your sentence could last long after you've come out of jail.

Do you know what the consequences of carrying a knife are? For a start, one of the key facts on knife crime is that if you carry a knife you are more likely to get stabbed yourself.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Are The Consequences Of Carrying A Knife | Knife Violence Prevention Scotland

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Your sentence could last long after you've come out of jail. Do you know what the consequences of carrying a knife are? For a start, one of the key facts on knife crime is that if you carry a knife you are more likely to get stabbed yourself.

# data[].attributes.body
For young people/ i pobl ifanc

# data[].attributes.body
For young people and professionals  / i pobl ifanc a gweithwyr proffesiynol

# data[].attributes.body
for young people and professionals / i pobl ifanc a gweithwyr proffesiynol

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Children as young as six are being forced to carry and sell drugs far away from their homes. They are made to skip school, sleep in drug dens, keep secrets from their loved ones. They are treated as criminals when they often feel trapped in a hopeless situation.

Enough is enough. County lines and child exploitation must stop. We work hard to end this type of abuse and give those who have been exploited a chance for a better future.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
County lines and child criminal exploitation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Children as young as six are being forced to carry and sell drugs far away from their homes. They are made to skip school, sleep in drug dens, keep secrets from their loved ones. They are treated as criminals when they often feel trapped in a hopeless situation. Enough is enough.

# data[].attributes.body
For young people/ i pobl ifanc

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The UK teens sent to Africa to escape knife crime - BBC News

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Keeping Yourself Safe From Knife Crime

You might have heard about some stabbing incidents in Cardiff on the news recently. Hearing about violence and knife crime involving young people in Wales might cause you to worry. Here at Meic we want to give you facts and offer advice to stop you getting into a dangerous situation.

This article is also available in Welsh - I ddarllen y cynnwys yma yn Gymraeg - clicia yma

This article is not meant to scare you. The Met Po lice say that 99% of young people in the UK don't carry knives. When looking at the population as a whole knife related offences in Wales are quite low, 49 per 100,000 of the population in 2020 ( July 19-June 20 - Office for National S tatistic s). These are small numbers, so the likelihood of being involved in something like this is low, but there are steps you can take to reduce your risks further.

Does carrying a knife protect you or put you in danger?

Some young people say that they carry knives for protection but the fact that they choose to carry a knife actually puts them in more danger. Evidence shows that you're more likely to be targeted and attacked if you carry a knife. If you bring a knife to a fight then things can really escalate and get out of hand. Something that might have been someone getting beaten up and walking away could quickly turn into someone getting seriously injured or killed.

Even if you're the only the one carrying a knife it doesn't make you safer. Evidence shows that people are injured or killed by their own knives as these can be turned against them. If there are no knives at a fight then this can't happen. So does carrying a knife really protect you? Or does it put you in more danger?

What's the law?

The law is very strict on knives. It is illegal to carry any sharp instrument that can be used as a weapon. If a police officer or a teacher suspects that you're carrying a knife they can, by law, stop and search you.

If you're found to be carrying a knife, this will get you into serious trouble, even if you've never used it or shown it to anybody. The fact that you are carrying it is enough. If you want to check the law out then go to the go v.uk website.

Carrying a knife could get you a criminal record or even go to prison. One quick decision to "protect yourself" could ruin your life forever. It can affect future job prospects and may even stop you travelling to some countries.

You can also get in big trouble if you're present when someone else carries out a knife attack. If you're aware that your friend is carrying a knife and you think it's likely that they are going to commit a crime with it then you can actually be charged under 'joint enterprise' law. This means that if your friend murders someone you could also be charged with murder just by being there.

What should I do if I think someone is carrying a knife?

The most important thing is to keep yourself safe. If you're threatened with violence then the best thing to do is get away. Don't get involved. Once you're safe tell someone you trust. This could be a family member, teacher, friend, the police or you can even contact the Meic helpline. We can help guide you towards the best steps to take.

To report knife crime, or any other crime, contact the police on 101, or if a serious crime is happening, or has just happened, or if someone is in immediate danger then call the emergency number 999. You can also contact Crimestop pers anonymously on 0800 555111 or report crimes anonymously through the Fearless website. Fearless is the Crimestoppers brand for 11-16 year olds.

This article isn't here to lecture you. We want you to keep yourself and others safe. We know that sometimes people can get themselves into situations that seem impossible to get out of, like being involved in gangs. Even if you think there is nothing you can do, there is always a way. Speak to someone you trust. Childline have information on their w ebsite giving advice on what to do if you're being intimidated or asked to join a gang.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Keeping Yourself Safe From Knife Crime - Home - Meic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This article is also available in Welsh - I ddarllen y cynnwys yma yn Gymraeg - clicia yma This article is not meant to scare you. The Met Po lice say that 99% of young people in the UK don't carry knives.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A film that captures the reality of knife crime - BBC London

# data[].attributes.body
Resources for professionals / adnodd i gweithwyr proffesiynol