Name: _________________________________________
Date: _________________
Year Group: _________
📊 Key Facts
- 20,771 knife and offensive weapon offences processed by the CJS in the year ending September 2025
- A 21.5% rise over the previous decade despite various government interventions
- Hospital admissions for knife wounds in under-25s increased 12% year-on-year
- The public health approach to violence, pioneered in Scotland, reduced knife crime by 60% in Glasgow over a decade
- Bereaved families are 4.5x more likely to experience long-term mental health conditions
- Each serious knife injury costs the NHS an estimated £27,000 — fatal incidents cost significantly more
⚖️ The Law
- Offensive Weapons Act 2019 — extended prohibitions and mandatory minimum sentences for repeat offences
- Section 38 Crime and Disorder Act 1998 — local authority duty to address youth violence
- Children Act 1989 / 2004 — duty to safeguard and promote welfare where exploitation is identified
- Serious Violence Duty (Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022) — requires education, health, and local authorities to collaborate on prevention
- Pre-charge diversion and deferred prosecution schemes — increasingly used for first-time, non-violent possession
✏️ Think About It: Scenarios
Scenario 1: A friend tells you something worrying about knife crime. What do you do?
Scenario 2: You see something related to knife crime that concerns you. What are your options?
Scenario 3: Someone you know seems to be in a situation involving knife crime. How do you respond?
💡 Key Messages
- Knife crime is a public health issue as much as a criminal justice one — systemic change saves more lives than enforcement alone
- Every person has a role as a bystander — safe intervention can prevent escalation
- The consequences extend far beyond the immediate incident: to families, communities, and the NHS
- Professional and civic responsibility under the Serious Violence Duty applies across education, health, and local authority roles
- Early identification of vulnerability is the most effective form of prevention
🆘 Need Help?
Childline: 0800 1111 (free, 24/7, confidential)
Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111 (100% anonymous)
CEOP: ceop.police.uk (online exploitation)
Emergency: 999