Knife Crime

Knife Crime causes significant harm to people and communities. Whilst knife crime levels remain low in the counties of Devon and Cornwall, we witness increased perception and fear of crime because of misinformation and disinformation, especially amongst those who have suffered from adversity and trauma.

What does the law say?

• It is illegal to carry a knife without ‘good reason’, unless it has a manual folding blade less than 7.62 centimetres (3 inches) long.
• The maximum sentence for being found in possession of a knife is up to four years imprisonment.
• Carrying a knife could leave a person with a criminal record.
• It is illegal to carry a lock knife in public without a good reason. These have blades that can be locked by pressing a button. This can include multitool knives that contain other devices like a can opener or screwdriver.
• Certain types of knives are completely banned in the UK, even if kept in the home. These include butterfly knives, zombie knives, disguised knives, and flick knives.
• Police have the power to stop and search anyone they believe is carrying a weapon.

What’s classed as a ‘good reason’ to carry a knife?

If a person is found to be carrying a knife, a court will decide whether they have a ‘good reason’. This could be:

• They are taking it to use at work
• They are taking it to be used in theatre, film, or tv
• They are taking it to a gallery or museum to be displayed.

What is classed as a weapon?

It is illegal to carry an offensive weapon in a public place without good reason.

An offensive weapon is any object that has been made or adapted to cause injury. Just because something doesn’t have a blade or a point, it can still be classed as an offensive weapon. This is not just knives but also:

• knuckledusters
• blow pipes or blowguns
• truncheons
• death stars or shuriken
• footclaws

More details about which weapons are illegal can be found here: https://bit.ly/3G8hQts

Who is at risk from knife crime?

Victims of knife crime can be of any age, gender, nationality, or ethnicity. They are often vulnerable people who are at increased risk through choice or circumstance.

The College of Policing highlights four risk factors associated with knife crime nationally:

1. Gender: males are more likely to commit and be victim of serious violence and / or weapons carrying
2. Age: self-reported weapon carrying peaks at age 15
3. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): including abuse, neglect, parental criminality, and / or addiction
4. Education: Low educational attainment

Other key aggravating factors leading to increased knife carrying and / or use and, subsequently, increase the likelihood of offending and / or victimisation include:

1. Alcohol Consumption
2. Domestic Abuse
3. Involvement in County Lines or Dangerous Drug Networks (DDNs).
4. Mental Health
5. Involvement of young people in Urban Street Gangs (USGs).

Whilst these factors increase the vulnerability of a potential victim or offender, with the risk of both suffering or witnessing serious violence; in these instances, knife crime is a significant by-product of a route cause. As such, it is important that intervention accounts for supporting, diverting, and disrupting those behaviours which lead a person to carry and / or use a knife. Early intervention is imperative to reduce the risk of serious violence. 

Often knife crime is not premeditated. Risk factors increase the likelihood of criminal behaviour and / or harm and can lead to a situation whereby a person had no premeditation to commit an offence; however, due to escalation of the situation or decline of their conscious understanding of acceptable behaviours, ‘instant arm’ themselves with a weapon which is easily to hand.

The impact of knife crime is not only on the individual, or individuals, directly involved. Those with whom they have a relationship, the local community, and wider society are at risk of trauma.  A single act of serious violence may have a dissipating impact on society, physically or emotionally, affecting community resilience and triggering difficulties with personal beliefs, including that an individual lives in a just world and that, if they make good decisions, they will be safe.

Knife crime amongst young people

It’s impossible for police to know about every person carrying a knife. However, when combining available data sources, we can estimate that around 1% of young people carry a knife in the region.

This means the overwhelming majority of young people do not carry a knife, and knife crime in Devon and Cornwall remains relatively rare. Any knife crime incident is one too many.

Young people are influenced by several factors, including fears and perceptions, peer pressure, and social media.  It is imperative to challenge misinformation and disinformation and offer an accurate picture to reduce concerns amongst young people – thus reducing knife carrying for protection purposes.  

The Business Response

Most knives purchased from a shop are not used in crime – but some are. Some are bought or stolen from shops to be used as a weapon. Businesses can store and sell knives responsibly to minimise the chances of supplying an item that will be used in this way.

Responsible retailers will ensure that knives are stored and displayed safely in their shops. This means preventing customers from accessing knives without the assistance of a member of staff.

The truth about carrying a knife

• By carrying a knife, a person is more likely to get injured or stabbed themselves.
• Situations involving weapons can quickly get out of control.
• Not all young people who carry weapons intend to use them. But if a young person carries a weapon and gets into an argument, the situation is more likely to get out of control and a knife is more likely to be used by someone involved.
• A criminal record can stop a person from being accepted into a college or university, getting a job, or travelling to some countries, like the USA, Canada, or Australia.