Figures released in response to a Parliamentary question have shown a steady rise in the number of 10- to 17-year-olds being charged with possessing weapons.
In 1997 1,427 young people were convicted of carrying an offensive weapon other than a knife, but by 2006 this had risen to 2,916.
And the number of young people convicted of carrying a knife during that time nearly tripled, rising from 482 to 1,265.
The number of defendants aged 18 and over convicted for carrying a weapon other than a knife rose from 8,554 to 11,845. And knife possession convictions increased from 2,878 to 5,058.
A spokeswoman for the Home Office said the figures show the police and courts are taking action to tackle knife crime.
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