Knife Crime – Know the Facts
What is Knife Crime?
Knife crime, is any crime that involves a sharp or bladed instrument, and can include anything from a kitchen knife or piece of glass to a potato peeler or a knitting needle.
Knife crime can range from threat of violence, where someone is carrying a sharp or bladed instrument to someone who receives an injury as a result of a sharp object or bladed instrument.
Why Do Young People Carry Knives?
Many of those who carry knifes say initially they carried them for their own protection. Evidence shows that those who carry knives for their own protection are more likely to become a victim as a result and the knife can be turned on them.
However some experts argue that often it is a fear of gangs and crime that leads to young people carrying knives, because they believe it will help to keep them safe. Those weapons may then be used which could make the number of violent incidents go up.
What are we doing about it?
Merseyside Police are working closely with partner agencies across the region to promote and increase public confidence in the force’s ability to reduce knife crime across our region. They do this by enforcing the law and also work to tackle the problem through education. Police want to educate young people from an early age about the dangers of carrying a knife and getting involved in violent crime.
Schools have undertake a range of activities, including assemblies, a truancy sweep during school hours and after school patrols.
These anti-knife lessons are telling young people not to believe the “myth” that it is safer for them to carry a knife.
It’s hoped that this will reduce the risk of stabbings during the long hot summer holidays.
To download poster, click on the icons below.
Facts and Figures
- Latest crime data from the Office of National Statistics reveals Merseyside Police recorded 945 serious crimes involving knifes during the last year.
- This is 18% on the previous year, which saw 801 knife crimes recorded, and the highest total on record figures going back to 2008/09.
- Knife crime is up to its highest level in 10 years on Merseyside
These figures came after the family of 16 year old Daniel Gee-Jamieson, who was tragically stabbed to death earlier this month (June 2018), issues a poignant plea for an end to ‘children being killed by mindless knife crime.’
The heartbreaking incident is only one of a string of serious and fatal stabbings that have destroyed families and left others in fear for their safety across Liverpool in the last 12 months.
Daniel died from a single stab wound to his leg, two 17 year olds have been arrested and charged with his murder.
click into the picture to read the BBC story
The Law and Knife Crime
A change in the Law means that anyone aged 16-17 years old who is convicted of carrying a knife for a second time will automatically receive a detention and training order of at least 4 months.
In the year ending March 2018, there were 21,044 disposals given for possession of a knife or an offensive weapon. Juveniles (aged 10-17 years of age) were the offenders in 21% of these cases. For further information see here
Further Information:
Merseyside Police can be found here
Childline Knife Crime can be found here
If you are aware of a person carrying a knife and is a threat, phone the Police immediately on 999 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
If a child or young person is at risk of harm, please report it to the Wirral Integrated Front Door Team, email [email protected]. If you need help yourself you can also use these numbers.
Mon-Fri, 9:00am – 5.00pm Tel: 0151 606 2008
Outside of these hours Tel: 0151 677 6557
Our Merseyside is a new social movement of people and organisations, united in supporting young people living in our communities. Its message is simple: to bring pride and opportunity to Merseyside and help keep our people and our streets safe.