99 young people aged under 25 lost their lives through the use of a knife in the 12 months up to March 2022. Shockingly 13 were aged under 16! Knife crime remains a critical issue affecting societies. There has been a 75% increase in knife crime in England and Wales between 2013 to 2022. So, we are all justified in seeking and demanding effective solutions.
Knife crime is a topic that none of us living in the UK can afford to ignore.
Sentiment such as “It’s a black problem in London”, “It has nothing to do with me or my family, “That behaviour only affects people from a certain area and class”, are comments I have often heard. As a defence barrister for 30 years, I have become acutely aware of the ages of the defendants I represent becoming younger for knife possession and homicide either directly as principals carrying a deadly weapon or falling foul of the joint enterprise law, which convicts groups of young people. My mission through my Life of Focus platform has been to educate and inform young people and their families about the legal ramifications of carrying a knife before they end up in an adult court room on trial. What are some of those strategies that effectively tackle youth violence through positive intervention? This article will explore targeted strategies centred around youth intervention to tackle knife crime and emphasizing the importance of engaging young individuals.
Early Intervention and Youth Empowerment
Early intervention with at-risk youth through programmes, I believe can significantly reduce knife crime. This may take the form of intervention/prevention in schools (primary and secondary) and colleges, in the community and whilst in custody. Many of these young, predominantly boys and young men, do not have any form of mentorship, have never been engaged in, skill-building activities, and support. It is widely accepted that there are a number of underlying factors that lead to anti-social and criminal behaviour involving the carrying and use of knives. Such programmes would address these issues head on.
Community focused Policing
With the level of trust at an all-time low, between certain communities and the police, especially in London, the importance of that relationship cannot be underestimated. Community policing fosters trust between law enforcement and most importantly the youth, leading to a collaborative approach to combat knife crime. Community-oriented policing is a must in reducing youth involvement in knife crime.
Education and awareness in the curriculum
My recent videos2 and short animations demonstrate, educational campaigns about knife crime and the consequences can deter young individuals from engaging in such activities. These, and similar material play a vital role and must be available and be part of schools and community centres curricula in delivering information about legal, physical, and psychological repercussions. Through my own involvement and observations, seeing the graphic outcome of knife inflicted injuries also has a place in deterrence for the older age groups as well experiencing the adult court environment. There is the perception that society has become desensitized to violence and that social media plays a part in this, with endless footage of young people posing with, carrying and wielding large knives attracting ‘likes’ and comments on the platform. Exposing these young people to the reality of incarceration by prison visits, talking to offenders both current and ex may be another initiative worth pursuing. It is widely accepted and reflected in the available data that educating youth about knife crime leads to informed decisions and a decline in incidents.
Tougher legislation and sentencing
Some anti-knife crime campaigners have observed that young people don’t fear lengthy terms of imprisonment for carrying weapons. The government has announced recent new legislation in relation to sale of machetes and the possession of such knives with intent to cause fear and to endanger life. It may well be time to give into the demand by the public for more stringent laws regarding knife possession coupled with longer penalties to send a powerful message against knife crime. In one of my recent broadcasts on Life in Focus, Alison Cope, who tragically lost her son to knife crime in 2013, called for more consistent sentencing to send out a clear message to young people, as some still feel they can ‘buss case’ by avoiding custody, when they appear in court for their second offence of carrying a knife, despite the ‘three strikes’ legislation currently in force.
Investing in young people and the resources that help them.
“Invest in young people for better and more productive communities.” Unquestionably we have seen a consistent reduction of funding in the vital area of youth services, affecting the provision of safe spaces, retaining, and recruiting dedicated individuals to work with some of our most vulnerable youth. The cutting of these resources extends also to the areas of mental health support and addiction, which are very much at the heart of underlying issues driving knife crime. Recent data from the British Youth Council underscores the role of funding in reducing knife crime incidents among vulnerable youth through accessible support systems.
The most important contribution I believe is through the grass root programmes that operate within the communities around the country to deter young people for picking up a knife, whether through the discipline developed through boxing clubs or the creative art form of music. There should be other programmes available such as rugby, other team sports and viable alternative opportunities. Getting young people in this bracket to realise and unlock their true potential and to have a constructive distraction from knife crime culture will serve all of us well in the long run. I recently engaged with a young defendant recently convicted of running a very successful county line operation. Telling him that he possessed the business acumen to run a successful legal company gave him a different perspective on the choices he will have upon his eventual release from prison.
Collaborative and effective use of data
In order to truly make a real impression on combatting knife crime, a comprehensive strategy is required involving cohesive collaboration among authorities, community groups, charities, industry and most importantly our youth. It is uncertain how accurate the current data is but access to reliable data will ensure targeted interventions and efficient resource allocation.
Closing remarks
To combat knife crime effectively, by engaging youth through targeted interventions is essential. Recent data highlights the efficacy of strategies such as early intervention, community policing, education, legislation, and youth-focused programmes. By empowering young individuals and involving them in creating safer communities, societies can address the root causes of knife crime and pave the way for a brighter future.
The recent speech delivered by Femi Koleoso, of the Ezra Collective, as they collected the Mercury Prize, was most inspiring and an example of what can be achieved through a shared dream, passion, collaboration, and dedication. They met in a youth club!
As a passionate lover of music, myself, I endorse the comments by Koleoso when he said “In moments of desperation, music can remind us there’s more to live for.”
I was compelled to release 4 short videos wearing my court attire at the start of this summer and two animations with the hope that the messages of reality of knife crime in the court room would reach young men.
In Q1 of 2024, my platform Life in Focus will host a workshop in London aimed at devising strategies to prevent youth violence and provide avenues for young individuals to realise and nurture their skills, aspirations, and lead a life free from the ramifications of crime.
We may not be able to completely eradicate criminal behaviour but reducing drastically the number of young lives ruined through knife crime and the ripple effect it causes must be all our commitment, after all we were all once children and dared to dream.
Stephen Akinsanya
Founder, Life of Focus
Further Reading
[1] https://benkinsella.org.uk/knife-crime-statistics/
[2] Also available on https://www.fightingknifecrime.london/video-zone
