The London Knife Crime

StrategyJUNE 2017

Date THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 3

Copyright

Greater London Authority June 2017

Greater London Authority City Hall The Queen’s Walk More London London SE1 2AA www.london.gov.uk enquiries 020 7983 4000 THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 3

Contents

Foreword from the Mayor 5

Knife Crime in London 9

Delivering this Strategy 21

Taking action 27

Targeting lawbreakers 29

Offering ways out of crime 43

Keeping deadly weapons off our streets 47

Protecting and educating young people 53

Standing with communities, neighbourhoods and families against knife crime 63

Supporting victims of knife crime 69

Measuring progress on knife crime 75 THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 5

Foreword - Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London

As we publish this Strategy, knife crime We must not accept that crime and with injury has been on the increase violence is a foregone conclusion for for three years around the country. In any young person in London, regardless London, dozens of families have been of their circumstances. We will redouble bereaved; many more have seen their partnership efforts to divert young loved ones severely injured. I know I people at highest risk of offending and speak for the overwhelming majority victimisation away from a life ruined by of Londoners when I say that this is crime and onto a better path. absolutely unacceptable. It has to stop. Our communities are sick and tired of the Through this Strategy, we set out a damage being done by knife crime. We comprehensive plan of partnership hear their voices. In this Strategy we set action to tackle the immediate threat to out how we will support communities as safety posed by knife crime in London. they stand up against knife crime, with But, important as it is, tackling the new funding for grass-roots community immediate problem is not enough. Over activities to protect their children and the last decade, we have seen knife drive out crime. crime peak, trough and peak again in London. I refuse to accept that this is We recognise that knife crime hurts the norm. If we are to make a lasting more than just the person physically difference, we must do more to get to injured, and that support services grips with the deeper issues fuelling must reach further. We are making violence and knife crime in our city. greater investment in support for the victims of knife crime, their families and We value all of our citizens and the wider communities. contributions they make as a whole in making London the best city in the world. We support determined, targeted Our young citizens play a huge part in enforcement by the Metropolitan Police everything that is great about London, Service (MPS) and partners like Trading they are vibrant and dynamic, innovative Standards to get dangerous individuals and inspirational. We must ensure they and dangerous weapons off our streets. have every opportunity to flourish and This includes greater Borough-led make the most out of the wealth of activity to catch knife offenders and to opportunities which London provides. deter anyone thinking of carrying a knife. It includes new activity to target the online sale of knives to young people, which must be addressed. THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 7 THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 7

But we must not submit to a counsel of The Met are just one of many public despair that some of our most troubled services in this city that have suffered young people are beyond help. We will massive cuts, and we recognise not give up on them. We will expand our the challenges also faced by local work to reach out to those caught up authorities, criminal justice partners, in crime and give them the skills, the health services and charitable sector resources and the confidence to get out. partners. We know we cannot rely on police, or even statutory services No one person or organisation has alone, to respond to knife crime. all the answers to knife crime, and we Communities, families, faith groups, the embarked on producing this strategy media and cultural sectors; we all have with a clear ambition to involve as many a responsibility to encourage young organisations, groups, communities people to fulfil their potential and not to and individuals as possible – bringing carry and use weapons. together the expertise and passion of people doing excellent work every day I am grateful to everyone who has taken to keep young people safe. The tough part in the development of the Strategy, funding situation for all organisations and I look forward to working together to underlines the need for us to work deliver it. together, making the most of what we have at our disposal to make the biggest We must drive knife crime out of London. difference we can for our children and Together, we can do it. young people. The Met have already reduced costs by nearly £600m since 2012-13 and the government’s current funding settlement requires them to reduce costs by roughly a further £400m by 2020-21. I am working hard with the Met to deliver this through greater efficiency and minimise the impact on front line officer numbers. But this is becoming increasingly difficult. The police service in London needs to be properly funded and I am making this case to Government. THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 9 THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 9

Knife Crime in London THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY

What do we mean by knife crime? How many knife crimes are there? Who are the offenders and who are Since 2008, knife crime has been the victims? defined as any offence that satisfies both of the following criteria: Knife crime is on the rise across the country. In 2016, London (excluding the City) accounted for around three in ten • Is classified as an offence of 1 homicide, attempted murder, recorded knife offences nationally. assault with intent to cause harm, In the 12 months to March 2017, over 12,000 knife crime offences were assault with injury, threats to kill, 2 sexual offences (including rape) recorded in London. In 2016 knife crime and robbery; across England and Wales rose by 14 per cent, compared to 11 per cent in London. • Where a knife or sharp instrument The majority of knife crimes in London has been used to injure, used are related to street violence as a threat, or the victim was and robbery. convinced a knife was present KNIFE CRIME during the offence. MPS recorded offences April 2010 - March 2017 Knife possession offences have been 14,171 defined as: 13,332

12,122 • Having an article with blade 11,378 10,079 or point in a public place 9,691 9,743 (including school);

• Threatening with a blade or sharply pointed article in a public place (including school);

• Possession of offensive weapon;

• Using someone to look after FY 10-11 FY 11-12 FY 12-13 FY 13-14 FY 14-15 FY 15-16 FY 16-17 an offensive weapon; 1. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-recorded- • Threatening with an crime-open-data-tables offensive weapon. 2. Metropolitan Police Recorded Crime data 2016/17 with comparisons to 2015/16 11

Analysis of Metropolitan Police crime VIOLENCE WITH INJURY Knife crimes data for 2016/17 indicates that 75 per where someone is injured as a result are cent of victims of knife crime are male increasing across England and Wales. In and frequently aged less than 25 years London, in the twelve months to March of age.3 Almost half of all victims of knife 2017 there were over 4,400 victims crime were from BAME backgrounds. injured as a result of knife crime – from Those recorded as black ethnicity slight injuries to serious, life threatening represented one in five of all victims of wounds. This is an increase of over 750 knife crime in the last year. For offenders, victims compared to the preceding almost ninety per cent were male and year, or 20.5 per cent. During this of those, 62 per cent were from BAME period, 49 per cent of victims of knife backgrounds. crime resulting in injury were aged 24 or younger. This represents over 2,000 HOMICIDE In 2016/17 there were 110 young people and an increase on the homicides across the capital. Of these, preceding year of almost 25 per cent. 57 were identified as being fatal knife BAME young males are disproportionally crimes. This includes seven which were affected, with 6 in 10 young male victims domestic abuse related. The remaining recorded as from BAME backgrounds. 50 victims were almost exclusively male. More specifically, almost half of all young Almost a third of all female victims of male victims of knife crime with injury homicide were victims of fatal knife crime were of black ethnicity. in the last year. For male victims this was much higher, with 57 per cent of all male Those who commit knife crime with injury victims of homicides being victims of are predominantly described as male and fatal knife crime. frequently from a BAME background.4 Of male offenders, over half were Young BAME males were frequently the described as black males aged under victims of non-domestic abuse related 25 years of age. It is also recognised fatal knife crime in that period, with that there is a huge overlap between almost half of all victims of non-domestic victims and offenders, and that they are knife homicide being black males aged not always to separate groups. Likewise, between 15 and 24 years of age. whilst ninety per cent of knife crime offenders are male, 10% are female and interventions and activity delivered through the strategy must recognise the 3. MPS knife crime victims data 2016/17. role of women and girls as offenders as 4. 2016/17 accused data shows that almost 88% of knife well as victims. crime offenders who commit crime resulting in injury were male. Of these, 65% were described as BAME THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 13

POSSESSION of weapon offences have also increased in the most recent period across England and Wales. In 2016/17 there were approximately 4,000 crimes recorded in London, representing an increase of almost 23 per cent on the preceding year. As possession offences are often identified through police activity targeting people suspected of carrying a weapon, this may be an indication of greater police activity rather than an increasing prevalence in this type of crime. What do we mean

Why are people carrying and by ‘habitual knife using knives? carrier’? The majority of research conducted A habitual knife carrier is into weapon carrying has pointed to 5 determined by the police as any self-defence and protection as a key individual that has come up at least reason why young people carry knives. twice as a suspect on the Crime Significantly, for people surveyed, Record Information System (CRIS) protecting themselves from others for Possession of an Offensive carrying weapons was considered to Weapon / Knife / Bladed Article or outweigh the risk of being caught by 6 a Knife Injury excluding Domestic police. However we also recognise that Abuse offence in the last two years. the decision to carry or use weapons is often more complex – in many cases AND; knives are carried not for protection but to intimidate others, to facilitate robbery, At least one of the above offences to deliberately injure or kill or simply for is in the last 12 months unless this the perceived power and status that the subject has been in prison for a carrying of a weapon provides. period in the last 12 months.

5. Lemos, 2004; Squires et al.,2008

6. Broadhurst et al. (2008) THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 15

In May 2017, the Deputy Mayor for in order to protect themselves. Young Policing and Crime met young offenders people are aware of the areas where at HMP Isis who had collectively been they feel they will be at a greater risk directly involved as both victims of being hurt and stated that they will and offenders of knife related injury always choose to be “safe rather than offences, discharging of a firearm and sorry” when asked if worried about being other serious violent offences, and caught by the police. were deemed to be amongst the most prolific and high risk offenders within What is the relationship between gangs Isis. Their view was that street robbery and knife crime? was a key reason why young people carry a knife; stating many young people Research7 has shown a greater likelihood are exposed either directly or through of carrying knives among gang members the experiences of their peers to street compared to non-gang members, with a robbery between the ages of 11 and 14. significant difference in the percentage The statistics support this - Robbery – of people carrying knives between Personal Property (42%) and Grievous these two groups. A review of survey Bodily Harm (34%) offences continue to data from the New English and Welsh be the highest recorded categories of Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (NEW- Knife crime. This results in a perception ADAM) programme at various custody of danger and risk amongst young suites across the country found highly people and that they need to have a knife significant differences in weapon

7. McVie, 2010 THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 15

“…when considering our responses to knife crime in London, it is important to understand that knife crime is much more than just gang related activity.”

carrying between gang members As such, when considering our and non-gang members, with a greater responses to knife crime in London, tendency to carry weapons among it is important to understand that knife gang members. crime is much more than just gang related activity; focusing exclusively on Recent data suggests that the majority gangs is not going to solve or adequately of knife crime is not gang-related. Gang- impact on our knife crime challenges in flagged crime accounted for 5% of all London; this Strategy also recognises knife crime with injury during 2016 – that there has been a shift in offending patterns with a renewed emergence down from almost 9% in the preceding of group related offending, a group of year. However, gang-related knife crimes individuals who cannot be classified are usually of a more violent nature to as being part of an organised group or other knife related offending and that gang. It should also be recognised that young black and ethnic minority males gang and group violence is often linked are disproportionately affected by more to drug markets, and that stabbings and serious and violent forms of knife crime, knife crime can be asociated with the where an injury has resulted from the control of drug supply both within and offence. Statistics show that the victims beyond London. These changing trends of serious, gang motivated knife crime in offending behaviour and patterns will are predominantly male (92 per cent), continue to be monitored and responded young (80 per cent under 25 years of to, whilst never losing sight of gang age) and from a BAME background. related offending which continues to be a key priority. THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY

Women, girls and knife crime

This strategy targets girls and young women who carry and use knives alongside their male counterparts. However there are significant proportions of knife crime which affect women and girls in the context of abuse and violence within the home and interpersonal relationships. The Mayor’s Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy will address acts of violence and harm perpetrated in the context of domestic abuse and other forms of VAWG which may involve knife crime.

In December 2016, the Femicide Census Report, published by Women’s Aid analysed trends in women killed though intimate partner violence over seven years. The findings demonstrated that women who experience domestic abuse are at a significantly higher risk to knife crime and, sadly, often within their own homes.8

We know that Domestic Abuse is vastly under reported. Estimates based on those interviewed in the Crime Survey 8. https://www.womensaid.org.uk/what-we-do/ campaigning-and-influencing/femicide-census/ for England and Wales during the year ending March 2015 showed that around 9. https://www.ons.gov.uk/ 4 in 5 victims (79%) of partner abuse did peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/ not report the abuse to the police.9 This bulletins/domesticabuseinenglandandwales/ yearendingmarch2016 implies that there are many unreported knife crime incidents happening within 10. Police and Crime Plan 2017-2021 the home. 17

In order to effectively bring perpetrators MOPAC and NHSE, along with partners, of domestic abuse related knife crime to are using the findings from the justice, there needs to be an adequate consultation for this Strategy and the risk-assessment process that records Needs Assessment to explore future the use of knives/sharp weapons in a commissioning of services to support domestic violence incident and ensures victims of CSE. there are significant consequences for such action. MOPAC will work with the Delivery against these priority areas will Crown Prosecution Service and the therefore sit outside of this strategic judiciary to ensure that the severity of Knife Crime Strategy, which is targeted threats of violence (typically with a knife) towards preventing and reducing knife is taken into account when prosecuting crime affecting young Londoners. perpetrators of domestic abuse, or when considering criminal and civil court Knife crime and the orders or restraining orders. Late Night Economy

Knife crime and The night time economy is a key driver of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) economic and cultural regeneration and a magnet for domestic and international MOPAC and NHS England (London) visitors. Recent research shows that the commissioned a Needs Assessment night time economy contributes £26.3bn of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation to London’s annual GDP and supports 1 published in 2016 which aimed to in 8 jobs.10 This figure is expected to rise establish the level of CSE in London to £28.3bn by 2029. and the scale of the need for support services. Whilst the Needs Assessment Analysis of the locations of knife crime did not identify the use of knives as a shows some cross over with areas linked major issue in relation to CSE, it was to London’s night time economy, such reported during the consultation for as areas in central London. However, this strategy that there are increasing more work is needed to understand if concerns with regards to the link these are directly linked or that this is between sexual violence committed a key driver of knife offending. Through by and against young people and further analysis we are seeking to gain the increased carrying and use of a greater understanding of any impact knives, putting young women at even knife crime has in areas related to the greater risk. night time economy. THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 19 THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 19

What do Londoners think about In line with the findings of our research knife crime? and consultation, this Strategy focuses tackling non-domestic, high harm Londoners are highly unlikely to be knife crime which is perpetrated victims of knife crime, but knife crime against young people, under the age affects us all, our sense of community of 25, targeting resources to our most and our feelings of safety on our streets. vulnerable locations and Londoners; to Findings from the MOPAC Public Attitude our geographical locations most at risk Survey (FY 16/17) indicate that 19.7% of being affected by knife crime and to of Londoners perceive knife crime to be those communities and Londoners most a problem in their local area. Within this likely to be directly involved or impacted there is borough variation – Waltham by knife crime. Forest has the highest perceived concern (34.9% view as a problem), while We also recognise that other weapons Bromley has the lowest (4.8% view as a are used to cause harm. Firearms, 11 problem) . Younger respondents (under bottles, and even acid can be used as 25) are most likely to feel that knife crime a weapon, but we are also mindful that is a problem in their area, while those the volume of harm caused by knives over 65 are least likely to feel it is a in London is significant and so must be problem. targeted and addressed. We will keep this under review however, and should it be necessary add to the delivery plan for the strategy to incorporate other weapons. This strategy aims to prevent violence overall – no matter what the weapon of choice might be.

11. The MOPAC Public Attitude Survey is a large scale representative survey of London, interviewing 12,800 Londoners per annum. THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 21

Developing and delivering this Strategy THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY

The challenges in delivering this strategy The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, cannot be overstated and even with all supported by MOPAC, will continue the powers of the Mayor and the police, to provide robust scrutiny of the MPS knife crime will not reduce without all responses to knife crime, driving partners and communities in London forward performance and holding the pulling together to make changes and Commissioner to account through her improvements. Arresting, sentencing, regular oversight meetings with the MPS. and even rehabilitating offenders will not stop knives being accessible on the Strategic risks of both MOPAC and the streets and nor will it stop young people MPS receive scrutiny and challenge from making the choice to carry and knife the independent MOPAC/MPS Audit for the first time. For long term change Panel. The Audit Panel is responsible for we need parents and families, schools enhancing public trust and confidence in and youth groups, and communities MOPAC and the MPS. to come together to discourage and prevent knife carrying, as well as the Convening media, businesses and other influencers to do their part to make spaces where Partnership is central to the delivery of young people spend their time – online, this strategy – no one organisation has at school, town centres, outdoors and at the ability to solve the problem of knife home – safe. crime alone. The Mayor has a unique convening power in London. Agencies in Oversight the criminal justice sector and beyond look to the Mayor to provide leadership The Mayor is responsible for agreeing and to bring organisations together to the Police and Crime Plan for London, strengthen partnerships. In tackling knife agreeing the MPS budget and overseeing crime, we are using this power to bring the performance of the MPS. He together all of our partners delegates most of these powers to the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, who We convene partners at the London is supported in her work by the Mayor’s Crime Reduction Board to drive joint Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC). working with the most senior officers 23

from across the Criminal Justice Service and to influence key strategy decisions. Where we need to, we will challenge partners, advocate and call for action on A multi-agency priority issues to make sure we get the best services for Londoners. partnership

This Strategy has been developed approach in close co-operation with the MPS, Recognising that there was partner agencies and communities. little support available for young We’ve consulted and surveyed hundreds victims of crime, The Lewisham of young people, professionals, and Young Victims’ Multi-Agency Risk community partners to inform the Assessment Conference (Youth commitments. We have had a particular MARAC) was established in May focus on ensuring the strategy is 2009 to increase young people’s informed by the ‘youth voice’, and as confidence and trust in key such we hosted specific events to agencies. Facilitating multi-agency target young people, including a youth information sharing fora and action roundtable event, workshops with planning to protect young young offenders in HMP Isis prison, and people at risk of harm, the project those on community orders under the presents a pioneering approach supervision of youth offending teams, in to supporting and protecting young addition to a Big Talk event with young victims of crime. people. We’ve surveyed 400 young people in the areas most affected by This work has been developed knife crime in London and also used the further and Lewisham now operates findings from over 700 16-24 year olds both a Serious Youth Crime who were surveyed in the Talk London Prevention Panel (SYCPP) and a survey in the development of the Police Missing Exploited and Trafficked and Crime Plan. (MET) process. THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY

Participants in the consultation include: Leap Confronting Conflict, Redthread, St. Giles Trust, Catch 22, LVSC, Box Up The MPS, The Crown Prosecution Crime, the SOLA Foundation, the Prince’s Service, HM Prisons and Probation Trust, Hyde Housing, Spark 2 Life, Hoxton Service, HM Courts and Tribunals Hall, Misunderstood, Lewisham Council, Service, the London Community Transport for London, Southwark Rehabilitation Company, London Council, Camden Council, Shout Councils, the Home Office, the Ministry Out UK, Kiyan Prince Foundation, of Justice, NHS England, the London Fire Ofsted, Ben Kinsella Trust, ChildLine, Brigade, Victim Support, London Heads Word 4 Weapons, Josh Hanson Trust, of Community Safety, Trading Standards, MAC UK, Parent Voice, Evolve Housing, the Youth Justice Board, London Head Fight for Peace, The Flavasum Trust, teachers, Vicky Foxcroft MP, Ofsted, the Rise Empowerment, Cherry Tree London Assembly, the London Stop and Foundation, Working Chance, Gangs Search Community Network, Stopwatch, Line, Mother, Jags Foundation, Anti Knife Safer Neighbourhood Boards, City Safe UK, Inspired Futures, Lambeth Council, Havens, New Beginnings, Ganglines, Edmonton County School. Chance UK, Growing Against Violence, London Youth, the Godwin Lawson Inclusion and involvement are at the Foundation, Groundwork, St Matthew’s heart of our approach to our work, Project Brixton, Hackney Quest, and we will continue to engage with Bankside Residents Forum, Football communities and stakeholders, building Beyond Borders, Coin Street Community relationships and working together to rid Builders, the Crib, Barnardos, Leaders our city of knife crime. in Community, Rugby Portobello Trust, the Safer London Foundation, the Oasis Trust, Gang Conflict Mediation, Young Lambeth, Gascoyne and Morningside Youth Clubs, the Damilola Taylor Foundation, South Central Youth, Epic Learning, Edukit, Educational Excellence, 25

Delivery This new London Crime Prevention Fund settlement is awarded according MOPAC commissions a range of services, to the greatest need across London’s and provides funding and support to Boroughs, with a new emphasis on a wide range of crime reduction and ensuring every Londoner has the community safety projects in London. access to the services they need to help support them and keep them safe, For the first time, the Mayor’s funding in line with the principles of the Police for victims’ services across the capital, and Crime Plan. Furthermore, some previously provided on an annual basis, funds will be redirected to support has been allocated for three years joint commissioning of services across to provide longer-term support. The Boroughs, helping to facilitate the investment of £47 million over the provision of specialist services that Police and Crime Plan period will help need a greater economy of scale than improve current work and commission can be provided by one Borough alone. new services, including developing a Local Authorities are core partners in collaborative ‘one-service’ approach the development of this new funding rather than the current system which pot, which accounts for 30 per cent of sees a victim or witness dealing with a the LCPF budget from 2018/19 onwards. confusing number of different agencies. This Strategy is backed by a further Within this funding, £2m has been investment of £625k by the Mayor, allocated to increase support for taking the total spending by the Mayor’s young victims of crime - including knife Office for Policing and Crime on knife crime - and their families. The change and gang crime projects to more than in funding delivery will allow flexibility £7m per year. for MOPAC to respond to changing demands and deliver the Mayor’s Across all our commissioning for this commitments to do more in areas Strategy, we will take a trauma-informed including restorative justice. and culturally competent approach, and we will be ensuring that service Through the London Crime Prevention users and young people are engaged. Fund, the Mayor has committed £72m Importantly, we will continue our grip over the Police and Crime Plan period on ensuring we secure genuine value to support projects across London for money. We want to be assured that dedicated to preventing crime, including the taxes paid by Londoners are being £5m spent on projects tackling youth used as efficiently as possible. We crime, gang crime, and knife crime. will continue to make this happen with rigorous funding application processes and robust contract management. THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 27

Taking action

01. TARGETING LAWBREAKERS

02. OFFERING WAYS OUT OF CRIME

03. KEEPING DEADLY WEAPONS OFF OUR STREETS

04. PROTECTING AND EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE

05. STANDING WITH COMMUNITIES, NEIGHBOURHOODS AND FAMILIES AGAINST KNIFE CRIME

06. SUPPORTING VICTIMS OF KNIFE CRIME THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 29

“Our fight against knife crime is ingrained in our neighbourhood policing and runs through everything we do. From our diversion schemes, and gang enforcement, to our protection of vulnerable people and our partnership with schools.“

Cressida Dick, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 29

TARGETING LAWBREAKERS: The Deputy Mayor for Policing and POLICING Crime, supported by MOPAC, will continue to provide robust scrutiny As we have seen with the recent of the MPS responses to knife crime, tragic events in London, the demand driving forward performance and holding for an efficient, dynamic and responsive the Commissioner to account, as well as police service in the capital has never bringing together the partnerships that been greater, and community policing are needed to support the police. is the foundation of all our efforts to protect our city. There is no substitute Operational activity for visible officers out on the beat in neighbourhoods. They are the eyes In the Police and Crime Plan 2017-2021, and ears of policing – helping to detect we set out the key issues that cause the and prevent crime, and build trust greatest harm in our society – including and confidence. youth violence and knife crime - as mandatory priorities to go alongside Vital to our mission of making London the locally agreed priorities that local a safer city for all, is ensuring that police and councils are now working the Metropolitan Police Service has towards in each Borough. Going further, the funding it needs. As a result of every Borough is now developing a local government funding reductions, the MPS Knife Crime Strategy, led by the MPS has made £600m in savings since 2010, and involving partner organisations. This and has a further £400m to save over the ensures that pressure on the possession next four years. This will be extremely and use of knives is felt across the challenging. The Mayor and MOPAC city, whilst retaining the local flexibility continue to lobby the Government for needed by the MPS and local authorities the funding the Metropolitan Police to make the right decisions for their area. Service needs to keep our growing, global city safe. Operation Sceptre, the MPS’ intensive response to knife crime and violence, Effective policing plays a critical role is increasing in frequency, from in the partnership response to tackling bimonthly to monthly. Sceptre brings knife crime, and the Commissioner together a wide range of resources has signalled her commitment that a to target priority areas with activities determined effort to tackle knife and gun including weapons sweeps, targeted violence will be the hallmark of her term stop and search of known prolific knife in office. She has the full support of this carriers, test purchasing and plain- Mayoralty in seeking to make our clothes policing operations. streets safer. THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY

Sceptre makes a difference - in May In Brent for example, this will provide 2017 Operation Sceptre involved in an additional six officers in 2017-18 excess of 1,800 such activities and focused on knife crime, gang and youth seized 380 knives, 17 firearms and 75 related violence and diversion, delivering offensive weapons. The MPS made the Safer Brent priorities. In other 500 arrests in that week including 112 London boroughs, where s92 officers knife related arrests, of whom 33 were have been funded for other purposes, Habitual Knife Carriers. MOPAC will be flexible and responsive to requests from local authorities to use Supporting the work of Sceptre, the these to tackle knife crime locally. MPS is also deploying 80 officers, both in uniform and plain clothing, into Neighbourhood Policing high knife crime borough hot spots, including ‘super recognisers’ to aid in the The Police and Crime Plan sets out identification of key offenders. our ambition to restore neighbourhood policing and putting Dedicated Ward The MPS is working with a range of Officers (DWOs) and PCSOs – who know agencies to target activity around the and are known to the communities they non-licensed venues that are hotspots serve – back at the heart of policing in for knife crime or at risk of being so. London. As the Mayor has set out in This will focus officers on high-harm the Police and Crime Plan, there will wards with evening patrols in ‘hot spot’ be one PCSO and two Police Officers areas, but also tackle ‘problem venues’ dedicated to every one of the 629 wards with law enforcement on health and in London – this commitment has already safety, trading standards, licensing been met in terms of the PCSOs, whilst planning enforcement, fire safety and the vast majority of the Police Officers anti-social behaviour. are also in post.

In addition, the MPS will work with We will work with the MPS to deliver a councils, Business Improvement Districts policing service that is better equipped and Safer Neighbourhood partnerships to deal with knife crime locally, across to reduce alcohol and drug-related crime the city and online, strengthening in locally identified areas, for example by neighbourhood policing, giving using ‘section 92’ officers in MetPatrol Boroughs a say in local policing and Plus schemes. Section 92 officers are crime priorities, and transforming the additional police constables who are way the organisation works to ensure it funded by local authorities in a ‘buy-one- is equipped to deal with 21st-century get-one-free’ agreement with the MPS. policing needs. 31

Stop and Search

We support the targeted, intelligence- led use of stop and search in the fight against rising levels of knife crime in Stop and search – London. Stop and search is a vital tool for our police, and it can save lives. Findings the statistics from MOPAC’s Public Attitude Survey Over 31 per cent of all stops and indicate that the majority of Londoners searches carried out by the MPS also support the use of Stop and Search result in a positive outcome, up (74% of Londoners agree with the use from 13 per cent in 2012 – showing of Stop and Search) – although within that officers are making better this younger groups are less positive use of intelligence to target their and the quality of the encounter is stops more effectively. A positive critical. In a survey commissioned for 12 outcome for Stop and Search is this strategy, 58% of young people and anything other than NFA (no further young adults agreed that increased stop action). Illegal objects are found in and search would reduce knife crime, 27 per cent of searches, and over whilst 28% disagreed. 3,000 arrests are made for weapons each year from stop and search However, it is an intrusive tactic, and alone. striking a balance between keeping people safe and maintaining the trust The Met publishes monthly data and confidence our communities on stop and search which the requires constant review and careful Community Monitoring Network consideration. Misused, it can lead to and local Community Monitoring increased community tensions and Groups can review such as volumes, mistrust of the police, undermining arrest rates, proportionality and attempts to encourage communities to complaints. The MPS have also come forward and report crimes. introduced a Stops Dashboard which provides more localised It is important that MPS officers feel and detailed reports for confident to use their judgement and community scrutiny. exercise their powers to stop and search where they feel it necessary. We want officers to feel that they have the knowledge and training to help them to 12. Survey conducted in Croydon, Lambeth, Tower Hamlets and Southwark, n= 413 THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 33 THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 33

make the right decisions about when We will continue to consult and engage to carry out a stop and how to do it. with communities to understand their Intelligence-led use of these powers views on the use of stop and search. means that, at times and places of Consistent local oversight of stop higher concern, where public safety is at and searches is provided through the increased risk, the number of stops and Community Monitoring Network (CMN), section 60 orders may go up. At times the MOPAC forum that draws together of lower concern, where intelligence the local stop and search Community indicates a reduced level of risk, the Monitoring Groups (CMGs) from each number may go down. We will support London Borough. The CMGs are made up the MPS in rolling out judgement training of independent volunteers who scrutinise for officers, enabling them to experience and hold the police to account on the and practice their decision-making in use of stop and search powers in their a range of different scenarios. We will areas. To support the accountability and also work with our communities and transparency into the use of stop and police colleagues to review the use and search and section 60 powers, the MPS authorisation of section 60, allowing now publish this activity on a publically officers to be more responsive in the accessible dashboard on a Borough by aftermath of a critical incident. Borough basis.

Balancing that support for greater Q professional judgement is greater accountability. Body-worn video, which WHAT’S SECTION 60? will be rolled out across the MPS by the end of 2017, provides a new level of Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and accountability and transparency for all Public Order Act 1994 allows a police parties involved in a stop and search, officer to stop and search a person and is already demonstrating real value, without suspicion in an area which reducing complaints, providing better has been authorised by a senior officer evidence for court cases and supporting of Commander rank. This power officer training. can only be authorised where there is a reasonably held belief that serious violence will take place. Between June 2016 and May 2017, 442 searches were conducted by the MPS under Section 60 powers. THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY

We have contributed to the current consultation being undertaken by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) Young people and on out of court disposals, asking that when a stop and search has been police training executed and when the individual has been found to be in possession of a good practice – knife, police cautions are no longer considered to be a viable option; Hackney Stop and ensuring that tough criminal sanctions are taken against serious offenders, and Search group only where appropriate, which will be in In Hackney, a Stop and Search very limited circumstances - making use group for young people holds the instead of conditional cautions to ensure Met to account about stop and that some rehabilitative or restorative search practice in Hackney. The intervention takes place where it may young people in the group have prevent a young person from going on undertaken four days training to to more serious offending. support their work, and used this to produce a DVD called ‘Search Me’ Gangs and knife crime which is used to help train officers and members of the community in As committed in the Mayor’s Police stop and search good practice. and Crime Plan, we are reviewing the The trained young people are also MPS approach to gang related crime, tasked with planning community including reviewing the Gangs Matrix, events called “Build Up” which which identifies the most violent gang is aimed at improving dialogue members in London and supports the between young people and the MPS to tackle gang crime, gun crime police. Events have included and knife crime in London. We are also football matches, role play and working with the MPS Trident and Area sports days with local officers. Crime Command and other partner can review such as volumes, agencies to strengthen the identification of young people who are at risk of serious violence, whether perpetrators or victims. It is intended that this work will also enable the MPS to target enforcement activity more effectively. 35

The Trident and Area Crime Command Operation Teal is the MPS response to works to tackle gang crime in London serious gang, gun and knife violence, through enforcement, suppression, and is now a permanent part of Trident. proactive policing and working with The Met Control Centre now has a Teal partners to prevent offending and representative permanently in place to build safer communities. Their work monitor intelligence and incidents in live covers the investigation of all non-fatal time and co-ordinate and task police shootings and other serious crimes assets in response. where the victim or suspect is on the Gangs Matrix and the crime is believed Criminal exploitation and knife carrying to be associated with a gang. Trident coordinates action to reduce gang The criminal exploitation and violence crime in target boroughs through the that is part of ‘County Lines’ is Trident Central Gangs Unit, and tackles highlighted within the Police and the most harmful and prolific Organised Crime Plan 2017-21. This includes Criminal Networks through the London children and young people coerced Crime Squad. into carrying knives and other criminal activities on behalf of the gang. As part Their work is also preventative: the of our work, MOPAC will be looking Trident Community Engagement team to develop, in partnership with key works in partnership to safeguard young delivery agencies inside and outside people from being drawn into gang of London, a comprehensive approach crime, visiting schools and liaising with aimed at reducing the harm to vulnerable dedicated schools officers, offering individuals, tackling the supply and support for those wishing to exit from distribution of drugs and ensuring that gangs, or delivering conflict resolution those responsible for harm face the programmes. We will strengthen this consequences of their actions, including work through a project underway to coming face to face with the harm they identify and address issues of particular have caused through a restorative vulnerability amongst young Londoners, justice process. We will support the including ongoing operational work on MPS to undertake police operations in ‘County Lines’ drug dealing (the practice partnership with county forces, which of gangs from large metropolitan areas both enforce against the gangs and developing drug markets in surrounding the organisers and aim to utilise towns and counties, in which children, legislation to enforce against gangs women or vulnerable people are and organised criminal networks that exploited by criminals to deliver drugs profit from this practice. to and from other areas). THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 37

TARGETING LAWBREAKERS: The Victim Personal Statement (VPS) CRIMINAL JUSTICE gives victims a voice in the criminal justice process by. The VPS is a written The whole Criminal Justice Service has or oral statement presented to the court a vital role to play in the fight against at the time of sentencing created as an knife crime – through tough community opportunity for the judge to understand sentencing, tough punishment for how a crime has affected the victim and persistent offenders and rehabilitation. their families. It is unacceptable that sentencing decisions are being made We recognise that many young people without all the possible information carry knives out of fear. But there are available, and we will work with courts also those who carry knives with the and probation services to push for a aim of committing crime; to harm and commitment to ensure that Pre-Sentence intimidate others, to protect drug Reports (PSR’s) and Victim Personal markets, to commit robbery or make Statements (VPS’s) are completed for threats, even to murder. Our message at least 90% of knife related offences, to our communities must be clear and helping to ensure that offenders receive consistent – whatever the reason, sentences and requirements which carrying a knife in London will not be are better targeted at addressing their tolerated and when caught, there will offending behavior, sentences which are never be just ‘a slap on the wrist’. in line with sentencing guidelines and that the victim’s voice has been heard. Supporting better sentencing decisions This supports the Sentencing Council’s view that sentencing of youths and Pre-Sentence Reports (PSR) provide young adults should be much more critical information that helps make focused on the individual offender sure that offenders are sentenced than when sentencing adults; and that appropriately, yet we are seeing knife all offender-specific factors are related offences being sentenced considered before determining the most without a PSR. Equally, we are seeing appropriate sentence, as well as better offences being sentenced without a protecting communities. Victim Personal Statement (VPS). THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY

Providing better sentencing options police to use this information for crime mapping, providing information on an Despite the significance of the knife offender’s location at a specific date and crime challenge in London, none of time to identify whether they could have the community sentencing options been at the scene of a crime. In addition available to courts are currently targeted to a review of available enforcement specifically towards those who carry measures and greater use of Electronic knives or other weapons. This must Monitoring, we want to build on this be addressed, and we will work with innovative pilot and test the use of the London Community Rehabilitation GPS tagging technology for offenders Company (CRC), National Probation who are released on licence following Service (NPS), courts and others to a custodial sentence for a knife related develop a new, targeted community offence and for knife related community sentence requirement for those orders, lobbying for secondary convicted of knife possession, which can legislation if required. be used on top of jail time and traditional sentencing where appropriate. The overarching ambition of this strategy is for young Londoners to feel safer, MOPAC recently launched a GPS and to protect those who are vulnerable tagging pilot which uses satellite and in order to do this we have to tagging technology to monitor the ensure that those who break the law capital’s most prolific offenders, the first receive sentences in accordance with scheme of its kind in the UK. The pilot the severity and impact of their crimes. means that Magistrates in eight London In light of feedback we have received boroughs can now order the wearing from young people about the lack of of GPS tags as part of a community awareness of the consequences of knife or suspended sentence. This is not crime; we have asked the Sentencing constant surveillance - the tags gather Council to also consider the role that data to monitor an offender’s compliance they could play in raising awareness with their court order or bail conditions, amongst young people regarding the alerting probation officers if these consequences of knife crime and what are breached. This includes entering further consultation could take place an exclusion zone or failing to attend with young people regarding sentencing mandated appointments. For the first guidelines in the future. time, the use of GPS tags will enable the 39

Rehabilitation Tough consequences for persistent offenders Effective rehabilitation of offenders by the Criminal Justice Service must also We support Section 28 of and Schedule make a significant contribution to crime 5 to the Criminal Justice and Courts Act reduction. By stopping repeat offending 2015, which created a rule commonly will we protect young people and reduce known as ‘two strikes and you’re out’, knife crime. There is currently very which is a minimum custodial sentence limited provision for offenders to address for those aged 16 and over who are weapon use for both adults and young convicted of a second or subsequent people within the custodial estate and in offence of possession of a knife or the community. offensive weapon. The minimum custodial sentence for 16 and 17 year Through the consultation for this olds is at least a four month detention strategy it is clear that there is no clear and training order and for adults over picture of how many young people under the age of 18, a mandatory minimum the supervision of youth offending sentence of 6 months. services in London are there as a result of an offence involving a weapon, and Nine in ten repeat knife crime offenders who might be attending the Knife Crime were adults of which over half received Prevention Programme which has been an immediate custodial sentence, 96% adapted by Youth Offending Teams of those adult offenders who received (YOT) across the capital and is delivered an immediate custodial sentence had inconsistently across different areas. pleaded guilty and received an average Nor is it clear what the impact of this sentence length of 7 months; this was programme is on young people and their almost 12 months for those pleading offending. This is an unacceptable gap in not guilty. Where repeat offenders were our response to young offenders and we aged 16 or 17, 45% of these received a will press the Youth Justice Board (YJB) community sentence and 47% received to get a clear picture. an immediate custodial sentence with an average sentence length of 6 months. We will also work with partners to explore better use of restorative justice and mediation where appropriate, working with families and communities to address knife crime and make amends. THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 41

Youths are far less likely to receive an We are targeting lawbreakers by: immediate custodial sentence (11% compared to 37% for adults) Over half of • Ensuring that all Borough Commanders youths received community sentences work with their Community Safety instead, cautions were also used more Partnerships (CSPs) to have in place frequently for youths than adults.The local knife crime plans that will drive reoffending rates for these community activity using Borough resources sentences and cautions are high and and to ensure that focused work is need to be improved. For example, the undertaken with communities and partnerships to ensure a coordinated reoffending rate for people given court response. orders in London is 31 per cent, and the reoffending rate for those given fines • Supporting the police in using all 32%. The proven reoffending rate for of their powers and increasing the juveniles for possession of offensive frequency of Operation Sceptre weapons in London was 36%, compared weeks of action, providing concerted to a rate of 33% for all of England and enforcement activity in knife crime Wales.13 We will use our oversight role hot spots, using tactics including to hold the Criminal Justice Service visible patrolling; plain clothes officers; to account for adhering to sentencing intelligence-led stop and search; guidelines around knife possession and and targeting known prolific knife offenders; offending, ensuring progress, and we will provide greater transparency and • Establishing a specialist MPS team of accountability by publishing data on 80 officers, plain clothes and uniform, knife crime and sentencing outcomes for to carry out targeted crime prevention knife crime. and enforcement in knife crime hot spots;

• Reviewing the MPS Gangs Matrix, which identifies the most violent gang members in London, and strengthen the identification of young people who are involved in serious violence, whether perpetrators or victims;

13. Ministry of Justice – Proven reoffending overview data • Continuing to support the delivery tool (July 14 – June 15) www.gov.uk/governement/statistics/ of training for police officers and the proven-reoffending-statistics-july-2014-to-june-2015 use of intelligence-led use of stop THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 41

and search which is responsive to the attending the Knife Crime Prevention challenges on our streets, keeping Programme, to establish how effective people safe whilst also maintaining this programme is at addressing the trust and confidence of our young people’s use of knives and communities; if necessary, work with partners to replace it with something better. • Strengthening the work of the MPS Trident and Area Crime Command • Working with the MPS to ensure to identify and address issues of that police cautions are no longer particular vulnerability amongst young considered to be a viable option for Londoners, including work on ‘County knife possession offences. To support Lines’ drug dealing, where vulnerable this, we will review the available people are exploited by criminals to enforcement measures. deliver drugs to and from other areas; • Pushing for a commitment by all • Working with the London Community relevant Criminal Justice Service Rehabilitation Company (CRC), National partners to ensure that on the day Probation Service (NPS), Youth Justice Pre-Sentence Reports (PSR’s) are Board (YJB), Youth Offending Services completed for at least 90% of knife (YOS), courts and others to develop related offences which go through a new, targeted community sentence our courts; requirement for those convicted of • Pushing for a commitment by all knife possession which offer support relevant Criminal Justice Service to the offender to exit offending partners to ensure that Victim Personal behaviour. Statements (VPS) are included for at • Making more use of electronic least 90% of knife related offences monitoring (where appropriate) and which go through the courts; lobbying for GPS technology to be • Working with the Sentencing Council used on offenders serving community and National Police Chiefs Council to sentences, or released on license ensure appropriate sentences and following a knife related offence; sentence guidance for knife crime • Working with the Youth Justice offences Board to establish how many young • Publishing data on the commission and people under the supervision of sentencing of knife crime offences. youth offending services in London are there as a result of an offence involving a weapon, and who might be THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 43 THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 43

OFFERING WAYS OUT OF CRIME Working with prisons is a new area of focus when responding specifically to There is no excuse for criminality, knife related offending. Whilst prisons but we know that the factors that play an important role in removing drive young people into violence are dangerous offenders from communities, often complex and powerful. Many we wanted to know if our stakeholders offenders have been exposed to criminal thought they could be doing more. At behaviour throughout their lives, and the Mayor’s Knife Crime Summit, 55% of many have been victims of serious the audience believed that prisons had crime themselves. There are others a key role in rehabilitating offenders of who are coerced from an early age into knife crime. Acting on this feedback, we committing crime. Many perpetrators will place a renewed focus on what more have support needs around mental can be done to rehabilitate offenders in health, drugs and alcohol, education and custody but also to look at what more employability. can be done to tackle knife related offences within our secure estates. Regardless of their circumstances and Currently, Violence With Injury (VWI) their past behaviour, carrying a knife offences within our secure estates or using a weapon is never a foregone are on the increase, with the majority conclusion – and nor is it acceptable - for of weapons in secure estates being any young Londoner. improvised bladed articles which have been produced by offenders for the sole The MOPAC funded London Gang purpose of inflicting injury and protection Exit (LGE) Service is helping to divert and whilst creatively made, are more than vulnerable young people out of serious capable of causing a fatality. offending, bringing together partner agencies to provide a comprehensive The Chrysalis project, funded by the package of support around health, National Offender Management Service education, housing and employment. (NOMS), the Youth Justice Board for We will continue to fund this service and England and Wales (YJB) and supported will look to strengthen it further as a by MPS policing contribution through means of diverting at-risk young people the Mayor’s Office for Policing and out of gang crime. Early findings from Crime, has been put in place to support completed cases14 indicate that 75% of some of these challenges and has been LGE clients engage in gang exit activity running in HMP Isis since September and reduce or cease involvement in 2013. Following the extension of the pilot gangs and 68% of engage in activity to in February 2016, Trident officers are address offending behaviour and report working in both HMP Isis and HMP & YOI a reduction in offending. Feltham A & B. THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY

The primary role of these officers is learning difficulties and personality to proactively work with known and disorders. A public health rather than emerging gang affiliated prisoners, purely criminal justice approach - that prosecute offences swiftly, support the focuses on creating positive change, reduction of violence and provide links addressing underlying vulnerabilities, to community provision that support reducing risk factors, and strengthening gang exit aims. Since the introduction protective factors has been shown to be of the pilot into HMP Isis in 2013 there most effective in reducing knife crime.16 has been a 39% reduction overall in the number of recorded violent incidents.15 Building on the Government’s Since 2016 results in HMYOI Feltham ‘Through the Gate’ reforms, we will have shown a drop in violence against explore opportunities presented by the person and an increase in the number criminal justice devolution to develop of offences detected. We will work with a ‘prison pathfinder’ in order to reduce Trident and others to extend and co- reoffending, which will: fund the Chrysalis project to address all weapon use and from this, explore • Ensure that prisons play a fully the scope for extending the programme integrated role within London’s across all London prisons. Criminal Justice Service;

• Support the ambition for prisoners We heard through the consultation that to serve their sentences closer the transition point at the end of a prison to home, thereby providing a platform sentence, where an offender enters to strengthen family relations back into the community, is critical. and enabling continuity of services More needs to be done to work with on release; young offenders to not only address their offending and violent behaviour • Demonstrate how London can reduce but to also address some of the complex violence within prisons and offer emotional challenges which offenders greater rehabilitation opportunities; face to ensure that emotionally, the offender is ready to turn away from • Provide better support to offenders for crime and be integrated back into reintegrating into society on release society. There needs to be much more from prison; recognition that we are working with • Support the use of Restorative highly complex individuals with a range Justice upon exit to support challenging disorders such as mental reintegration with society. health issues linked to emotional trauma, 45

This is an opportunity to enhance We are offering ways out of crime by: ‘through the gate’ services to offenders being released from short prison • Continuing and developing the work of sentences lasting less than 12 months, the London Gang Exit Service to focus as often seen for knife related offences. work on people involved in gangs who use weapons, including work to In the medium term, we will continue to develop offenders’ skills to improve push for greater GLA involvement in the their employability and increase their commissioning of London’s Community access to job opportunities. Rehabilitation Company (CRC), in order to • Extending the work of Project ensure a more joined up approach with Chrysalis to include weapon other Criminal Justice agencies and an related violence in HMP Isis and improvement in services. HMP YOI Feltham;

• Working with MoJ and partners to use Chrysalis as a foundation to build a violence reduction programme for London’s secure estate;

• Supporting a trauma informed approach to our interventions when commissioning rehabilitation services;

• Supporting alignment with existing child and adolescent mental health services and work closely with the Greater London Authority and health partners to jointly commission better provision and lobby for more powers and budget to do so from central 14. Case review of 28 completed cases for London Gang Exit Service government;

• Building on the Government’s 15. Data source: MPS Recorded crime – Comparing figures from Oct 2013 – Jun 2016 ‘Through the Gate’ reforms, we to the period preceding, Jan’11 – Sep 2013. will look to explore opportunities presented by devolution to develop a 16. Foster, 2013; Eades et al, 2007; Sethi et al, 2010; Cordis ‘prison pathfinder’ to better reintegrate Bright, 2015; Williams et al, 2014; Golding and McClory, 2008; McVie, 2010 offenders back into society. THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 47

“Advanced pre-hospital services, Major Trauma Centres and networks of care have transformed our ability to provide world leading care to patients in London. Although these advances have resulted in more people surviving after trauma than ever before there are still tragic fatalities and significant life changing injuries that have a significant impact upon the physical and psychological wellbeing of individuals and communities.”

Duncan Bew, Clinical Director of Major Trauma and Acute Surgery, King’s College Hospital THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 47

KEEPING DEADLY WEAPONS OFF We will be reviewing the adoption of the OUR STREETS Responsible Retailers Agreement by London businesses, and reconvening Alongside confronting the behaviour national and regional partners and behind knife crime, we must also act agencies to continue partnership to reduce the availability of knives to working and information sharing on children and young people. best practice on tackling the challenges around both online (including their The types of weapons found by the couriers and delivery companies) and police through stop and search and instore illegal sale of knives. weapons sweeps tell a story about the scale of the problem and the risk of We will work with businesses, local harm. Combat knives, hunting knives, authorities and Trading Standards to ‘zombie killer’ knives, flick knives, develop ‘London Guidance’ which is samurai swords – designed purely to tailored specifically for knife retailers inflict serious damage to flesh, organs in London, offered on a London wide and bone. Kitchen knives, screwdrivers, basis with a priority on our boroughs hacksaw blades – innocuous household most affected by knife crime and items that, if used against people, can smaller independent retailers who do cause terrible injuries. not benefit from the same level of corporate training providing by some More can and must be done to stop of our larger multi-national retailers. these implements getting into the wrong The training will encourage the securing hands and onto our streets. of knives to prevent shop-lifting and to increase the interaction between the Supporting responsible retail purchaser and staff to reduce the risk of ‘accidental’ sales. We recognise that The Responsible Retailers Agreement trading standards have been subject is a voluntary agreement businesses to cuts by local authorities, who have can sign up to, giving their commitment had to make incredibly difficult local to work with the police, local authority funding decisions. and Trading Standards to help make their borough a better place to live and work. Businesses participating in an Agreement have access to training, support and accreditation. THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY

Licensing The Primary Authority approach

63% of respondents at the Mayors We support and encourage the Primary Knife Crime Summit felt that the private Authority approach which exists to sector should be completely accountable ensure the better delivery of regulatory for the responsible sales of knives online processes. The approach offers and on the high street. businesses the opportunity to form a legally recognised partnership with one We have begun a review into the local authority, which will then provide feasibility of introducing a licensing robust and reliable advice for other scheme for retailers who sell knives, councils to take into account when similar to the one based in Scotland, carrying out inspections or dealing with where the Custodial Sentences and non-compliance. Weapons (Scotland) Act 2007 gave Ministers the power to establish a Streamlining the communication of licensing scheme for knife dealers in often bureaucratic and complicated Scotland. We are investigating whether regulatory requirements assists in a similar licencing scheme for knife ensuring business receive consistent retailers in London could provide a and reliable advice and support, cutting flexible preventative response to the out red tape, reducing complaints illegal sale of knives in London, and to trading standards and supporting support both the Metropolitan Police business to ensure that they remain Service and Trading Standards not only compliant with regulatory requirements. in having a much more comprehensive understanding of knife retailers in This Strategy will build on and develop London, but also provide retailers the efforts of the MPS in establishing with a comprehensive set of minimum joint partnership working arrangements requirements which can be enhanced17 with our major retailers and continue by the licensing authority for some of efforts to educate and raise awareness our most disproportionately affected with regards to the responsibilities of locations and for our larger instore businesses to be proactive in tackling and online knife retailers. If it can the illegal sale of knives. We call on the be demonstrated this would make a Government to introduce legislation to difference, we will work with Government extend the Primary Authority scheme to and others on the implementation of knives as soon as possible. such a scheme.

17. https://primaryauthorityregister.info/par/images/ documents/handbook.pdf 49

Tough action against irresponsible retailers

We will support efforts to ensure there Good practice are tough penalties for irresponsible retailers who break the rules and make – supporting our streets more dangerous by not taking the necessary steps to stop responsible young people purchasing or shoplifting knives. We will work closely with the retailing MPS and Local Authorities to ensure Croydon Trading Standards offer that those who supply knives to free of charge accredited trader underage people are brought to justice, training sessions to small and with targeted test purchasing activity, medium sized businesses in order including, for the first time, with online to help them be more aware of retailers. In doing this, we also recognise their responsibilities in relation to the challenges with stopping the illegal the sale of age restricted products underage sale of knives from outside including knives to young people. the United Kingdom. We will conduct a review on how we can most effectively Retailers receive a personal reduce access to the UK market from invitation by way of a visit from a our most challenging overseas retailers, Trading Standards Officer which is lobbying for amendments to legislation followed up by a letter confirming where required. their place on the course. The course lasts for two and a half We will continue to work with courts hours with an exam at the end. to consider what more can be done Retailers are also asked to sign to ensure the maximum penalty for up to the Responsible Retailer selling a knife illegally is imposed; 6 Agreement, agreeing to the safe months imprisonment and a £5,000 and responsible packaging, display fine. To support this we have asked the and sale of knives. Sentencing Council to consider tougher sentencing on retailers who sell knives to children. To support this, we will do more to raise awareness with Magistrates about the seriousness of offences which result from the underage sale of knives. THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY

We also recognise that there are some considerable challenges with taking enforcement action against Good practice our larger retailers, particularly given significant cuts to Trading Standards - sale of knives: teams in recent years. A key issue that local authorities face is the cost of voluntary prosecutions, which can be significant when taking action against larger agreement by retailers. However there are sanctions other than criminal and civil ones which retailers can be applied to unscrupulous retailers Tesco, Lidl UK, Amazon UK, Wilko, who place dangerous weapons into the Argos, Morrisons, Asda, Poundland, hands of children and where necessary, Sainsbury’s, John Lewis, Waitrose, this Mayoralty will explore ‘naming and Boots, Aldi, Co-Op, B&Q and TK shaming’ retailers who persistently fail to Maxx have agreed to adhere to check thoroughly and appropriately that a set of principles to reduce the knives are not being sold to underage underage sale of knives. children and young people.

The retailers will apply their policies We will also support victims who for age-restricted sales such as wish to express directly to these think 21 or challenge 25 to ensure ‘unscrupulous retailers’, the harm they age verification checks take place have experienced due to knife crime and knives will only be sold (or through a restorative justice process. supplied) once they are satisfied the customer is 18 or over. This will include proof of age checks for in-store sales, collection or point of delivery situations. 51

We are keeping deadly weapons off our • Exploring ‘naming and shaming’ those streets by: retailers who continue to refuse training provisions and repeatedly are • Reviewing the adoption of the identified by the police and trading Responsible Retailers Agreement by standards as selling illegally to London businesses, and reconvening underage customers; national Trading Standards, • Support the use of Restorative Justice local Business Crime Reduction with retailers to help them understand Partnerships and regional partners the impact of their actions/inaction; and agencies to continue partnership working and information sharing • Working with HMCTS to raise on best practice on tackling the awareness amongst Magistrates on challenges around both online and the impact of retailers illegally selling instore illegal sale of knives at a pan- knives; London level; • Evaluating the feasibility of the • Working to ensure knife retailers and introduction of a Licensing Scheme for their couriers/delivery companies knives in England; have access to training and guidance on the law on underage sales and • Calling on Government to introduce target enforcement efforts against legislation to extend the Primary those who choose not to participate in Authority scheme to knives as soon as this training; possible.

• Extending the MPS use of test purchases to include online sales, holding online retailers to account for illegal sale of knives to children; THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 53

“I’ve always been safer lifestyle. It is great passionate about early to know early intervention intervention and getting is at the forefront of this to young people at the strategy, getting the right age at the right time. appropriate support at It is vital that we spot the the earliest opportunity signs and provide the is critical for all children’s appropriate support and wellbeing.” intervention at the earliest opportunity. This isn’t a Yvonne Lawson, founder of the Godwin Lawson Foundation short term problem. You have to invest in young people and long term solutions.

At the Godwin Lawson Foundation, young people who attend workshops say that hearing from victims of knife crime help them leading them to choose a THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 53

PROTECTING AND EDUCATING functions having regard to the need YOUNG PEOPLE to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, as outlined in the same If we are to make a long term, sustainable legislation. Child safeguarding runs difference we have to protect, educate through almost every strand of MOPAC’s and support young people – or we will work, including gangs, Violence Against forever be tackling the symptoms not Women and Girls, Counter-terrorism, the problem. We must do more to seize Victims and Justice and we will continue opportunities to engage with young to provide strategic oversight of the people and identify and intervene MPS’s work in this area and to work with those at risk of offending or with agencies across London to ensure victimisation. This Strategy aims to that we do everything we can to protect safeguard children and young people children in the capital. from harm and making the wrong choices. We recognise that any activity Early years must operate within and integrate with existing child protection structures. The need for better early intervention with children at risk of offending, and Much more needs to be done to get a lack of evidence as to what works grip on some of the key drivers of knife in supporting at-risk children, are related violence and offending and to challenges which have consistently been change the attitudes and behaviours raised by stakeholders throughout our around the carrying of knives. Carrying consultation for the development of this a knife in London is unacceptable and Strategy. will not be tolerated. Whilst we accept that the majority of our young citizens MOPAC is supporting the Early will never pick up and carry a knife, this Intervention Foundation (EIF), which strategy focuses on the minority who do. champions and supports the use of effective intervention for children who Safeguarding young people display indicators of risk. The EIF will play a critical role in evaluating the Police and Crime Commissioners have evidence of what works in the field statutory safeguarding responsibilities; of intervention – both programmes MOPAC has statutory duties to hold the and local practice. An innovative new MPS Commissioner to account for the programme in Lambeth and Wandsworth exercise of child safeguarding duties aims to prevent youth crime, knife crime under sections 10 and 11 of the Children and gang involvement by working across Act 2004 as well as to discharge its own primary schools in the boroughs. We will THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY

work to ensure that once established; to develop a Mayoral ‘Safer Schools’ evidence from the programme is shared standard which will publically commend widely and used to drive change and the school as taking a responsible and support partners both locally and proactive approach to protecting their regionally. MOPAC will work with partners students against the dangers of crime such as Edukit to share good practice and providing appropriate levels of with schools and education providers. support. We will support our schools to provide a safe space for students Through the education system by offering schools in the areas where knife crime is most prevalent the use This Strategy recognises that effective of knife wands, and increase access to schools programmes, youth provision, knife arches where and when required to after school programmes and summer ensure a safe environment. activities are absolutely critical to dealing with some of the factors such as MPS Safer Schools Officers have a vital poverty, unemployment and educational role to play in making London’s schools failure that give rise to young people who safer places to learn and grow up, are vulnerable to becoming exposed and providing a trusted link between young lured into various forms of criminality. We people, teachers and policing. recognise that schools and alternative We currently have almost 300 Safer education providers have a crucial role to Schools Officers across London, some play in the delivery of positive messages of whom are working in London’s Pupil and safeguarding measures to our young Referral Units. We have committed to people and their parents. They also need increasing the number of Safer Schools to be places of safety. Officers, ensuring that every school has access to one. We will lobby Ofsted and the Department of Education to introduce requirements Skills based programmes that aim to for schools to provide safeguarding develop young people’s abilities to measures for pupils at risk of becoming control their behaviour (problem solving, involved in knife crime, including self-control, anger management) as well the provision of support, advice and as family focused programmes which effective conflict resolution skills for incorporate the young person’s wider both teachers and parents. We want to network have also been shown to work acknowledge those schools that have in preventing gang involvement and 18 taken proactive measures to support youth violence. Young people need to our most vulnerable and ensure that be equipped with the skills to be able others provide a safe space for our to resolve conflict without the need to young people. To do this, we will work resort to violence and weapons use. 55

We will continue to work with partners and support programmes that are already in place to support young people; but A whole school there is much more that needs to be done to support our most vulnerable. approach to crime To support the prevention campaign, we will provide toolkits for schools to prevention allow them to access the materials and MOPAC is working with Croydon support sharing consistent messages Council to pilot a new, whole-school to all London’s children. We will work approach to protecting children and with partners to explore how we can young people, providing information collectively bring more resources and and support on safety to teachers support into youth provision services, and pupils from Year 6 onwards Pupil Referral Units (PRU’s) and schools and making personal safety part of within our most challenging boroughs. everyday learning. To support this we will host an event with education providers, education leaders, The project aims to equip teachers Principals, Academy Trust Chairs, board and other education professionals members and Governmental bodies to with the knowledge, skills and better understand their needs and agree confidence to identify and take a plan of action to help tackle knife crime. the appropriate next steps with children and young people at risk of Outside of school victimisation or offending. Equally, it seeks to educate pupils on the In a survey of over 400 young people and risks of crime, by helping them young adults commissioned specifically to understand the warning signs for this strategy, 42% were worried about of crime and abuse, how to make knife crime in their local area, and 22% positive life choices and where knew someone who had been a victim of to get help if they are concerned knife crime, whilst 3% had themselves for themselves or for others. The been a victim. project uses drama and arts to involve young people in scenarios to see and understand the consequences of different courses of action, as well as to see actions from different points of view.

18. (McVie, 2010; Foster, 2013; Eades et al, 2007; Golding and McClory, 2008; Kinsella, 2011 THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY

The MPS, with partners including Transport for London (TfL) and the British Transport Police, are developing Good practice a stronger evidence base of the public spaces where young Londoners are – SchoolWatch, least safe, to inform their deployment of officers and ensure that police are on Tower Hamlets hand at places and times of highest risk SchoolWatch was launched in for young people, such as school closing November 2011 after Bethnal Green time and key transport hubs. Academy entered into a partnership with London Citizens and the The issue of youth services provision Metropolitan Police. There had been in London is an important element in a large increase in street crime the context of the rise we have seen in within the local area, which caused knife related offending in London. This the fear of crime amongst young Strategy recognises the invaluable role residents to rise. Students worked that youth workers and youth providers with the police and other partners play within our communities and the vital to develop Safer Routes to travel support which they provide to young and successfully created 35 Safe people. However, the landscape of youth Havens through the use of CitySafe services has completely changed and Zones in Tower Hamlets. local authorities have reduced youth provisions for young people due to Whilst this was a police-led scheme, funding pressures. We cannot bridge for the first time there was the the gap in funding which is available to positive intelligence and information support the required growth of youth from young people who felt they services provisions within the capital. could communicate with police and We call on Government to do more to partnership agencies, safe in the ensure that youth provision is protected knowledge that their information and sustained, and support our partners, would be received and acted upon. including the MPS, LFB, education and health services to work together to provide effective youth services and community support for young people, as well as lobbying the Government to increase funding for youth services. 57

The MPS currently has 5,000 MPS people have been supported to access Cadets across London volunteering education and training. We will continue regularly to support operational policing, to work in partnership with pan-London crime prevention and community initiatives such as Kicks and support safety. In 2015 cadets contributed over local services in London Boroughs 200,000 volunteer hours in London, to an through the London Crime Prevention estimated value of £7 million. The Cadets Fund (LCPF), enabling the development scheme, for young people aged 10-24, of local anti-gang and knife strategies. builds skills, confidence and experience We will also work with partners and in a positive setting, and involves a broad schools to develop educational cross-section of young Londoners, materials to be made available to our including a significant percentage of most challenging schools and youth young people from deprived and crime- service providers and support a more vulnerable communities. We will work direct community response to not with the MPS to build on the success of only engaging directly with our most the Cadets scheme to offer more young vulnerable and hard to reach young Londoners positive activities outside of people, but to also become part of the school hours. solution in identifying local responses to knife crime. We recognise and seek to harness the power of sport and the arts as We continue our support for the CitySafe a means of engaging young people Haven initiative, which offers young inside and outside of formal education, people a safe place to go if they feel providing opportunities to develop threatened or in immediate danger. City skills, confidence and relationships in a Hall itself was made the 200th CitySafe positive context. Haven in 2009, and there are currently approximately 600 CitySafe Havens One such project is London Kicks; across London. They aim to enhance and engaging young people aged between develop relationship with neighbours, 12 and 18 who are at risk or on the police and the local community. We will periphery of being involved in gang or work to make sure that these City Havens knife crime. Between 1st September continue to develop and where possible 2014 and 31st August 2016 a total of are matched and located within our key 4,467 young people have engaged in geographical knife crime hotspots. This Kicks. 2,621 of these young people have local approach will ensure that fast food participated in personal development outlets and other places where young workshops, 809 young people have people might congregate can play their achieved qualifications and 690 young full role in keeping their neighbourhood THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 59

safe. We will provide the necessary social media. There have been a number support and resources and work with TfL, of cases of serious violence associated BTP, and CitySafe Havens to ensure that with confrontational music videos, and transport hotspots are identified and such videos were cited by some of the made safer. young people who we consulted with as continuing to normalise and incite Fast food restaurants are amongst the violent behavior in particular parts of hotspots for knife crime, operating London. Videos of this kind are openly into the early hours and attracting a available on the major social media sites, young clientele. In partnership with the with no age restrictions, and widely MPS we are identifying the fast food shared. In some cases, people uploading outlets where violence has occurred. We these videos are making money from recognise that this violence is not linked advertising embedded in them, helping to the restaurants themselves, but rather to fund criminality. We are working with to the locations where young people social media companies to address these congregate, much like transport hubs. issues, and to find ways to use their However we must do more to ensure that platforms to provide positive messages these locations are safe places. We will to young people. The Law Commission work with major fast food outlets and is currently exploring whether to partners to provide additional training review legislation on offensive online for staff, equipment and other support communications. We will support the to make these locations safe. We will undertaking of a review of how hosting convene the top 20 most affected areas companies take responsibility for the and work with them to reduce knife content they publish through their sites crime incidences in and around their or platforms. restaurants, building on good practice. In addition, we will work with the CitySafe Evidence shows that education-based scheme and retailers to cover the top approaches that both demonstrate the 20 fast food outlets in London that are dangers of carrying a weapon but also linked to serious youth violence. make available resources and services to support vulnerable young people hold Online potential in addressing knife crime. In Autumn 2017, we will launch a prevention The availability and affordability of campaign to dissuade young people technology is enabling young people from carrying knives – using social media involved in gangs and violence to platforms and giving strong messages produce media content with high on the dangers of carrying a knife. These production values and share it widely via approaches will encompass both formal THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY

Youth Involvement

Good practice – Young people have played a hugely important role in informing the content fast food outlets of this strategy; around half of all McDonalds and KFC ensure that participants in the consultation were their staff receive training on young people. We want to continue conflict management, provide this dialogue and recognise that as the measures such as controlling Wi-Fi most significantly affected group, young and phone charging facilities, play people should be part of the solution for classical music to create a calming London and should continue to guide environment, and liaise closely with and inform the delivery of this strategy. local police teams. We will therefore establish an ongoing youth engagement and consultative mechanism to continue this dialogue. and informal approaches delivered within school and community settings, We are preventing young people in acknowledging some young people’s London being involved in knife crime poor attachment to school. by:

Finally, we will bring the most influential • Increasing the number of Safer social media companies to the table to Schools Officers, and ensuring that not only tackle the prevalence of videos every school has access to one; on social media which glorify gang • Supporting the prevention work of and knife crime, but to also use it to the Early Intervention Foundation communicate positive messages directly (EIF) in primary schools and ensuring to our most vulnerable and susceptible that information on projects which young audiences, and we will work with are proven to work are shared with those whose advertising is linked to partners; gang videos to see how they can play their role in avoiding any inadvertent • Working with partners to explore support for videos which glorify knife how we can collectively bring more and gang crime. resources and support into youth provision services, Pupil Referral Units (PRU’s) and schools within our most challenging boroughs;

• Lobbying the Department for Education and Ofsted to develop and 61

include mandatory requirements for • Providing prevention materials linked schools to take effective safeguarding to the media campaign, supporting the measures against knife crime integration of the message into the supporting both students and parents; activities of schools and alternative educational providers; • Working with schools and education partners to develop a Mayoral ‘Safer • Encouraging the Law Commission Schools’ standard – allowing schools to undertake a review into offensive to evidence that they meet best material published online, arguing that practice around student safety; videos that glorify knife crime and violence are harmful; • Hosting an event with education providers, education leaders, • Working with social media Principals, Academy Trust Chairs, organisations to ensure online videos board members and Governmental which glorify knife crime are quickly bodies to better understand their taken down, including working with needs and agree a plan of action to companies to put an end to the profits help tackle knife crime; made from advertising linked to their videos; • Supporting the MPS to build on the success of its Cadets scheme and • Working with the MPS and partners to encourage more young Londoners to build greater evidence on the times take part; and places at which young people are at greatest risk of harm, such as • Working with the CitySafe scheme transport hubs at school closing time, and retailers to cover the top 20 fast and ensuring that the police are on food outlets in London that are linked hand at those places; to serious youth violence, as well as exploring with TfL extending this to • Establishing an ongoing youth transport hubs; engagement and consultative mechanism, ensuring young people • Developing a media campaign targeted continue to be consulted and involved towards young people and their in the delivery of this Strategy; parents, raising awareness on the dangers and consequences of knife • We will support schools to provide a crime; and providing reassurance and safe space for students by offering advice on what they can do if they them the use of knife wands in areas have concerns about an individual’s where knife crime is most prevalent. involvement or risk of involvement in knife crime; THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 63 THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 63

STANDING WITH COMMUNITIES, To support this, our prevention campaign NEIGHBOURHOODS & FAMILIES will therefore be supported by a toolkit AGAINST KNIFE CRIME for schools, community groups, faith groups and others to push the message London’s communities and families have locally, ensuing that this is owned and had enough of the violence. We stand driven forward by influential local leaders with them in calling for an end to the and community members. madness of young people maiming and killing each other. We will also develop messages for parents, supporting them to be aware of Over the next year, through the London and support the messages their children Crime Prevention Fund, in partnership receive, and identify indicators that their with 31 London boroughs MOPAC is child might be at risk. sustainably funding 38 projects, at a value of approximately £5m, to keep As part of our effort to ensure effective Children and young people safe, and and meaningful engagement with reduce knife and gang crime and serious London’s communities, we will be youth violence. working alongside the GLA Community Engagement Team who are currently We will strengthen and amplify the developing new approaches to positive outrage of Londoners against community engagement as part of a knife crime through the provision wider social integration and equalities of new funding to support grass- agenda. Our goal is use their experience roots community groups involved in to broaden and deepen our reach protecting young people and ridding into London’s communities and find our communities of violence. We will innovative ways to obtain the views provide seed funding to support small from all those impacted by knife-crime in organisations currently operating the capital. and to encourage the growth of other community groups and movements against violence. THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY

Galvanising and working with our To ensure police and partner resources communities should not be an approach are targeted in the communities where which is limited to the most serious they are needed most, we will continue incidents, such as terrorist attacks or to build up a better picture of the high profile homicides within affected prevalence of violence in London, and communities. We need to do more to work in partnership with the NHS to work collectively with our communities, continue with the Information Sharing to community groups and statutory Tackle Violence (ISTV) programme. Under partners to assess and manage the this programme, hospital emergency community impact not only after critical departments share with the police incidents, but after major knife related anonymous data pertaining to where, incidents. To provide assurances and when and what violent crimes have been also to work closely with the community, committed to better inform partnership the victims’ family and the victim’s peers, responses and intervention approaches to learn from the incident as to what and assist in building a better picture of can be done differently and to offer the level, nature and locations of violent opportunities to speak out, whether it be incidents in the city. This allows us to formally or via third party or anonymous work with partners to better problem reporting mechanisms, beginning the solve and design out crime in our key process or breaking down the walls of knife crime hotspots and most vulnerable silence we so often see amongst our geographical locations and improve communities after critical incidents, and our general understanding of the use empowering our communities to be part of weapons in violent crime, assisting of our response to knife crime in London. in supporting the prevention of violent crime but also supporting partners This is supported by our commitment in providing the most appropriate to restore real neighbourhood policing enforcement and intervention response in the capital’s communities. Police to serious violence including knife and cannot operate effectively without gun enabled violence. the cooperation of the community – whether that be through providing intelligence or playing their role in educating young people. Community policing is the bedrock of all our efforts to protect our city, and we are putting an extra dedicated police officer back in every ward in the capital to help tackle the problems of crime and antisocial behaviour that concern residents most. 65

This in turn will help identify the most suitable locations for knife bins, funded by MOPAC and the MPS, which allow individuals who want to give up knives a Communities safe way of doing so. The availability of a knife bins in areas where knife crime against Knife is prevalent, and where there may be a reluctance to report to the police, allows Crime - for the safe disposal of weapons. We will support the increased availability of knife Dwaynamics bins in these locations. Dwayne Simpson took up the challenge to address the lack We will work with the London Community of facilities for young people in Rehabilitation Companies and the Angell Town Estate, enabling them Ministry of Justice to improve and to engage positively through his develop the use of Community Payback boxing and fitness project. supporting more appropriate placements for habitual knife carriers; introducing Dwayne was tragically stabbed to a restorative element to the placement. death in 2014 and Dwaynamics We will consult with communities who Boxing MBE is now run by Dwayne’s are most affected by knife crime to see Mother, Minister Lorraine Jones and what redress they might wish to see for Richard Davis. The project offers knife related offences and work with boxing and fitness workshops the London CRC to direct community alongside bespoke training for payback activities accordingly; ensuring employment, social development that Londoners feel that they have a and entrepreneurship skills. say in the sanction and rehabilitation of offenders who commit knife related offences and receive a community order. THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY

Community Impact Statements

We will push for a commitment by all relevant Criminal Justice Service partners for the greater use of Community Impact Statements when considering responses to knife related incidents.

A Community Impact Statement is intended to provide relevant and useful additional information about the impact crime and ASB or a particular incident is having on a particular community for all law enforcement partners. The intention is to enable better informed decisions that are made with the knowledge of the local context and can be used throughout the justice process. Such decisions may include charging decisions, sentencing, restorative justice and reparation interventions. The use of the Community Impact Statement should not be confined to court proceedings and may be used at various other stages in the justice process including out of court disposals such as cautions and restorative justice (RJ) interventions. 67

We are standing with communities, • Pushing for a commitment by all neighbourhoods& families against relevant Criminal Justice Service knife crime by: partners for the greater use of Community Impact Statements when • Providing seed funding to community considering responses to knife related groups and anti-knife crime initiatives incidents; in priority areas in London, supporting • Work in partnership with the NHS and a grass-roots response to knife crime; Local Authorities to continue with the • Provide a toolkit alongside the knife Information Sharing to Tackle Violence crime media campaign which supports (ISTV) programme; schools, community organisations, • Continuing to fund local services in faith groups and others to participate London Boroughs through the LCPF in anti-knife crime activity locally and to support interventions to reduce take ownership of local solutions. serious youth offending and knife We will support them to deliver this crime; by offering workshops and training sessions; • Delivering positive messages through the 5,000 Police cadets who live within • Supporting the increased availability of and are part of our diverse range of knife bins in locations with high levels communities across London; of knife crime; • Developing a plan for working with our • Making adult offenders make amends partners and communities following to the communities they have serious knife related incidents, harmed, working with communities assessing the impact on the families and the London CRC to link tougher and communities to strengthen Community Payback sanctions for community engagement facilitating a those convicted of knife possession two dialogue for information sharing with projects based in communities between the communities and most affected by knife crime; authorities, providing assurances and positive messages across the community and appropriate signposting to local support services;

• Support anonymised reporting mechanisms between the communities and the police, such as Crimestoppers. THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 69 THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 69

SUPPORTING VICTIMS OF KNIFE CRIME “Every victim of knife Whilst our first and most important crime in London is one objective is to prevent people from becoming victims of knife crime in the too many. Knife crime first place, provision of effective support has a devastating impact to those who do fall victim is essential. In the Police and Crime Plan 2017-2021, we on young people all give our commitment to put the needs of victims at the heart of everything we over London, as well as do; stand up for the rights and needs of their friends, loved ones victims; and to work to provide the help and support victims need at every stage and their communities. in the criminal justice process. Amongst other things, we Accordingly, this Strategy commits to are increasing support providing better support to victims of knife crime and to better acknowledge to £1m a year for young the impact that knife crime has on victims and – crucially - the victim, the victim’s family and the wider community, in terms of emotional their families, to ensure trauma, but also in terms of the direct that victims can access impact the incident has on the levels of trust of families and communities in the the right support and tools emergency services’ ability to effectively keep their families and communities safe. to help them recover from knife crime.’

Claire Waxman, Victims Commissioner for London THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY

We will improve the services available to victims of knife crime and their families through our victims’ services commissioning work and extend the support for young victims of serious violence such as knife crime with injury– increasing investment from £360k per annum to £1m per annum, in order to broaden support to families in terms of guidance and recovery, acknowledging the emotional trauma which affects both the victims and families of knife crime.

Working with partners, we will produce a toolkit with information and advice on what to do in the aftermath of a knife crime, aimed to help front line workers such as teachers and doctors, faith groups and community groups to recognise the signs of trauma in family members and friends affected by a knife crime and to take the appropriate steps to support them.

Support for victims of knife crime is currently delivered through Victim Support. Each of its 10 Children’s Young Peoples caseworkers deal with an average of 200 cases each covering a range of offences, and currently there is no capacity to deliver any further support. In response to this, MOPAC’s Integrated Victims and Witness 71

Service Resource Plan 2017 – 2020 impacted by knife related injuries, Plan allocates £2m to develop a new providing specialist youth services for Children’s and Young Persons Victims victims of serious youth violence and Service from 2018-2020. The Service sexual exploitation (aged 11 to 25). The will consider how victims of knife crime service allows youth workers to engage can be better supported and how with victims of knife and gang crime who our response to other serious crimes present at the A&E with assault-related affecting children and young people can injuries, gunshot wounds, stabbings, and be strengthened. those who report having been sexually exploited. This intervention which is Every person who has been affected conducted in the hospital immediately by knife crime has the right to access after an incident, has shown to be a restorative justice, and through the unique ‘teachable moment’. These Restore:London restorative justice services, directed towards young people service funded by the Mayor, the option at this time, will ensure that the other is available in those cases where the issues faced by young people involved offender is an adult (18+). The onus in knife crime, such as mental health would be on Youth Offending Teams to support needs or sexual exploitation, deliver restorative justice where the are addressed holistically. Over 800 offender is a young person, and we will young people across London who have work with the Youth Justice Board and suffered serious violence have been others to explore the extension of this supported by the service to date. 8% where appropriate. of these were under the age of 18 and not known to any agencies prior to their We also recognise that some young admission. Approximately 80% of the victims of crime may find it hard to young people worked with are male and engage with the police or other formal around two-thirds had been stabbed parts of the Criminal Justice Service, with a knife. MOPAC has funded this at a but it is vital that they do. To support value of £1.2m from 2015-2018 and has this, we will extend our support of youth committed a further £622,668 in 2018/19 provision currently provided for our four and £800,721 in 2019/20 to further Major Trauma Centres (MTCs); into A&E develop this programme. departments which are disproportionally THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 73

We are supporting victims of • Ensuring that victims are aware of knife crime by: their rights to access a restorative justice provision; • Improving the services available to • Continuing to fund the youth support victims of knife crime through our to victims of knife and gang crime victims’ services commissioning work in London Major Trauma Centres, and extending the support for young ensuring that victims of knife crime are victims of knife crime with injury – supported at a most critical time; broadening support to families. • Extending this programme to key • Increasing investment from £360,000 A&E departments in Boroughs that per annum to £1m next year, providing have high levels of knife crime to an up-lift in services for victims of maximise the power and value of serious crime, and allocating a further this ‘teachable moment’. £2m to develop a new Children’s and Young Persons Victims Service from 2018-2020.

• Working with partners to produce a toolkit with information and advice on what to do in the aftermath of a knife crime, aimed to help front line workers such as teachers and doctors, faith Q groups and community groups to WHAT’S A ‘TEACHABLE recognise the signs of trauma in family MOMENT’? members and friends affected by a knife crime and to take appropriate A teachable moment is an event steps to support them. or experience which presents an opportunity to learn something new or re-evaluate an existing belief. In the case of knife crime, a person’s admission to hospital with knife injuries is one such teachable moment – at which the right intervention and support can help someone turn away from their involvement or association with crime. THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 75

Measuring progress on knife crime THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 77

One of the most important roles of With a specific focus upon knife crime, MOPAC is to oversee the Metropolitan success will be measured at two levels. Police on behalf of Londoners and hold The first will seek improvements in a it to account. This means ensuring the variety of crime measures that will MPS is effective in its work and that it make London safer (i.e., reduction in is efficient in the use of its budget. knife crime, knife crime with injury) The Police and Crime Plan 2017-2021 with a focus on repeat victimization and sets out our full performance framework repeat offending. for the MPS and for the delivery of our objectives. To support this MOPAC will launch a new knife crime data dashboard to enable We provide in-depth scrutiny of the MPS’ public transparency and monitoring of performance in keeping London safe and such data. The second will focus upon delivering on the commitments in the monitoring aspects such as Stop and Police and Crime Plan. Search, Sentencing and seeking to reduce levels of concern around knife MOPAC holds the MPS to account by crime in both adult and youth Londoners. holding regular meetings with the MPS A new youth survey will be established to Commissioner and keeping a tight grip inform this. on the MPS budget, making decisions on strategic and high-level spending and ensuring the MPS and Londoners receive value for money. THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY 77

Measuring progress on knife crime

MAKING LONDON SAFER

Active monitoring and reporting – looking for improvements within: PRIMARY Total knife crime Possession of a weapon MEASURES Knife crime offences (with injury) Reducing the likelihood of being a victim Active monitoring Number homicides (knife) Running throughout these: a Number homicides u. 25 (knife) and reporting reduction in repeat victimisation Knife crime with injury and repeat offending (non-DA <25)

Active monitoring and reporting:

SECONDARY Monitor weapon related Reduce levels of concern around MEASURES Stop and Search (i.e rate of knife crime (within adult and Arrest / No Further Action) youth), measured via the MOPAC Public Attitude Survey and a new Monitor sentencing, use of Active monitoring Youth Survey and reporting cautions, use of custody Analysis from media campaign

SUPPORTED BY

Need key data documenting New research and analysis (i.e. Activities / the activities underpnning the County Lines, potential new outcomes: initiatives (i.e. activities, staffing, evaluation on initiatives / aspects arrests etc.) of the strategy What is happening on the ground Monitoring of partnership action plans THE LONDON KNIFE CRIME STRATEGY

Local crime and antisocial The priorities for all Boroughs also behaviour priorities include mandatory high-harm crimes: knife and gun crime, sexual violence, We have developed a new performance domestic abuse, child sexual exploitation framework that enables the Mayor to and hate crime. We actively monitor fulfil his role (making sure that people’s the volume of offences and look for a priorities are being dealt with effectively reduction in repeat victimisation. by the MPS and partner agencies) while also giving local police the flexibility MOPAC supports each Borough in they need to do theirs – responding to making its decisions by providing and resolving what really matters to the detailed data and analysis of local crime people in their community. Equally, we trends. To ensure that these priorities want to ensure that the most harmful remain current and relevant, they will crimes, such as knife crime, sexual be refreshed annually, with flexibility to violence and child sexual exploitation, change during the year if necessary. are treated as priorities across the city. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor hold the Instead of focusing on local crime Commissioner to account for the MPS’ targets imposed from City Hall, which performance in tackling these local may bear little resemblance to the priorities. For progress and monitoring things that really matter in communities underpinning this performance themselves, we have consulted with framework see https://www.london.gov. every Borough and developed a new uk/what-we-do/mayors-office-policing- system of agreeing local priorities, in and-crime-mopac partnership with local police leaders and the elected local Council. This means How the MPS manages its performance that across London, local police teams are focusing on local priorities, agreed The MPS has a framework for analysing, using data and evidence. understanding and improving its performance which will be driven by Under this system, each Borough has these measures and priorities and play selected two local priority crimes, based a key part in the delivery of this Police on local knowledge, crime data and & Crime Plan. Structures are in place to police intelligence, along with antisocial hold leaders to account, share effective behaviour, which has been identified as practice and encourage problem solving. an important issue in every Borough. 79

They already include a substantial focus A better Criminal Justice Service for on the key priorities in this Plan, including London child safeguarding and knife crime. The MPS and MOPAC teams undertake Using data from the Ministry of Justice innovative analysis, complemented and MOPAC research, we will actively by productive relationships with many monitor and look for positive progress in: universities. Meanwhile a wide range of data is made available for public scrutiny • Reducing offending behaviours through the MPS and MOPAC websites of targeted cohorts – measuring and the London Datastore. To see all of offending, frequency and the severity our priorities for achieving a safer city of offences for all Londoners, please see the Police • Improving service for victims – such as and Crime Plan. compliance with the Victims Code of Practice Key performance measures from the Police and Crime Plan that relate to the • Improving victim satisfaction with Knife Crime Strategy are: the service they receive through the courts – measured through a new A better police service for London survey.

Using data from the MPS and MOPAC Keeping children and young people research, we will actively monitor and safe look for positive progress in: Using crime statistics and data from • Victim satisfaction with police the Ministry of Justice, we will actively service, using data from MOPAC’s monitor and look for positive progress in: User Satisfaction Survey • Reducing young people’s chances of • Public perceptions towards the MPS becoming victims of crime – using data from MOPAC’s Public Attitude Survey • Reducing the number of first-time entrants to the Criminal Justice • Reducing inequalities in satisfaction Service and public perceptions. • Reducing the number of knife crimes, by volume and numbers of repeat victimisation. Other formats and languages

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