Skills for the Job: Working to prevent knife crime

Why do young people carry knives?

The main reason young people give for carrying knives is for their own protection. Either someone carrying a knife has threatened them, or someone has threatened to use a knife on them. Another reason is peer pressure - they may have a sibling or a peer who has encouraged them to carry a knife. Peer pressure can be quite strong. In the most deprived areas it can be worse than in other places.

It used to be the case that most children and young people carrying knives would be aged 14 and up, but in recent years we have seen a lowering in the age of young people carrying knives.

Young people who Lives Not Knives has worked with in the past who are now in their late teens or early 20s are shocked that there are children as young as 10 carrying knives. It is the life they are used to and the environment they are brought up in.

What kind of knives do young people carry?

The type of knives changes according to age. Children aged between 10 and 14 will normally carry a domestic knife that they have picked up from the kitchen at home or have stolen from a small shop or supermarket.

Older children start to carry larger weapons such as hunting knives because they want to be taken seriously. At that age, they carry it for a purpose. If they are pulling it out to threaten someone they want that person to feel threatened. Young people tend to use other items as weapons as well - such as belt buckles. Obviously with an item that they can wear, it will go unnoticed if they are stopped and searched.

Are levels of knife crime rising or falling?

It is very hard to get a true picture of how many young people carry knives and how many are threatened, killed or injured as a result. The figures that are published are only of reported and recorded incidents, and young people who carry a knife are not going to openly admit to it. Public awareness and concern about knife crime can be driven to a large degree by the media. In Croydon there was a spate of seven stabbings in 10 days, but it was only because they were reported in the press that people were aware they had happened.

What should you do if you believe a young person carries a knife?

Talking to the police could result in the young person getting a criminal record, which can do more harm than good for someone of that age. They can end up in the criminal justice system without properly understanding why they were carrying a knife in the first place.

A better approach is to speak with the child and the family about the issue. If you get to the bottom of why the young person is carrying a knife it could be something simple to sort out. For instance bullying, especially through social media, can be a big factor behind young people carrying knives. Photos or rumours can be spread and threats can be made - that's why a young person could be scared and could start carrying a knife.

It could also be worthwhile getting in touch with the local council's troubled families team, which may be able to help the young person and their family. Attempting to address the issue with a young person without their broader family too may be setting them up to fail.

Troubled families teams work with the most challenging families, tackling issues such as antisocial behaviour, youth crime, inter-generational disadvantage and worklessness. They can refer young people to relevant help for issues such as mental health problems or substance abuse that often need to be addressed in order to achieve lasting results.

It is important to get the message out about knives from an early age and teach young people the consequences before they get to the point of carrying a knife.

FIND OUT MORE

• Lives Not Knives An awareness campaign to prevent pre-teens from carrying knives, set up in 2007 by Eliza Rebeiro, Monique's daughter, at the age of 14. www.livesnotknives.org
• Communities Against Gun & Knife Crime An organisation offering workshops and training to prevent children getting involved with knives and guns. www.cagk.co.uk
• The Ben Kinsella Trust A charity aiming to raise awareness of knife crime and educating children about the consequences of knife crime. www.benkinsella.org.uk

Monique Ribeiro is chief executive of Lives Not Knives