Knife Crime Soars to Record High

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) and a 'Crime Outcomes' report from the Home Office reported yesterday the crime statistics show knife crime rose 8% on the previous year, with 43,516 offences involving knives or sharp objects in the year to March 2019.

The figure is the highest since comparable records began in 2011. 

There was a rise of 3,301 knife crime offences from 2017/18, with the volume of offences up 42% since the year ending March 2011.

The areas which saw the highest increases in knife crime this year were away from the main cities, with Suffolk, Norfolk, Lancashire and North Yorkshire all seeing large rises. 

Sarah Jones MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Knife Crime, said: 'To see knife crime increase by eight percent after already being at record levels is truly shocking. 

Today's figures show the government has been far too slow to tackle county lines activity which sees vulnerable, armed young people trafficked into towns across our country.

'With the vast majority of crimes going unsolved, it's clear that it's not only policing which needs a boost. Our justice system is suffering under the pressure of increasing crime and needs to be bolstered.'

The number of homicides in 2018/19 increased slightly to 701 offences from 693 in the previous 12 months, excluding terror attacks.

However, the number of homicides where a knife or sharp instrument was involved decreased by 9% in the last year, to 260 offences.

Scotland Yard, Britain's largest force, recorded 67 homicides involving a knife or sharp instrument in the year ending March 2019 - a 39% reduction from 110 in the previous year, but higher than the 57 recorded in the year ending March 2017.

Didn't they say a few years back that anyone caught with a knife was going to get a custodial sentence ? Why have they not followed through on this promise?