We have released a crucial new report urging the government to adopt evidence-based strategies to combat serious violence. ‘Beyond the Headlines’ delves into a decade of data, revealing stark trends and highlighting the urgent need for action to protect our youth.

Here’s a look at five key stats:

1. Homicide: In the year ending 2022/23, 99 young people aged 16 to 24 in England and Wales were victims of homicide, up from 87 in 2012/13.‍‍
2. ‍Hospital admissions: The number of 10 to 17-year-olds in England admitted to hospital for injuries caused by knives or sharp instruments surged from 2015/16 and reached its decade peak in 2018/19. The number of incidents recorded has declined year-on-year since, but at the end of 2022/23 was 47% higher than compared to 2012/13
3. ‍Disproportionality: In 2022/23, 91% of young people admitted to hospital with knife injuries were male. Black children were over six times more likely to be homicide victims compared to their share of the population. And children living in the most deprived police areas experienced 2.5 times more violent crime than those in the least deprived areas.‍
4. Signs of improvement: The latest figures in 2022/23, show a year-on-year fall in both homicides of young people and hospital admissions. Over the last ten years, the number of 10 to 17-year-olds cautioned or convicted for violent offences in England and Wales has nearly halved (46%).‍
5. Struggling sectors: In the last academic year, 1 in 5 pupils in England were persistently absent, referrals to NHS mental health services rose by 11% in 2022/23, and the number of children under the care of local authorities in England has increased over the decade.
   

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