CYP Now - CYP Now investigation reveals third of YOTs use weapons detection systems

Less than a third of youth offending services are using weapons detection systems on their own premises, a new investigation by CYP Now reveals.

Knife arches are used by some YOTs, mainly in London. Picture: Adobe Stock

Despite figures from the Office for National Statistics showing a 10 per cent rise in youth homicides using a knife or sharp instrument between 2015/16 and 2019/20, just 31 of 108 local authorities that replied to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request from CYP Now have a searching system in place.

Just 12 per cent are using static detection systems, known as knife arches, and half of these are in buildings where such systems were already in place for general use such as police stations and courts.

London councils are most likely to have knife arches installed in non-court or police buildings used by its youth offending service (YOS).

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