The London Knife Crime JUNEStrategy 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.