1. Weapon crime and the law
Session 8: Activity 1

2. Rise in weapon offences
Homicides, gun and knife crime make up 1% of all recorded crime but impact on society is massive
Police records show 37,443 recorded knife offences and 6,694 recorded gun offences across the UK in the year to September
In London 1,299 stabbings, 57 of which were fatal between January and August 2018.
Includes children as young as 13.
Meaning that London now has a higher murder rate than New York.
Young men are the most likely group to be involved in knife crime, both as victims and perpetrators.
Overall, crime had continued to fall in England and Wales, consistent with the general trend since the mid-1990s.

3. In the news What do you think when you see headlines like these?
How do they make you feel?

4. 20% of those caught with knives are under 18
The statistics
In ,000 people were caught carrying a knife in England & Wales
In 2016, 39 children aged 10 and 11 were given cautions for carrying knives
20% of those caught with knives are under 18
In the first 8 months of 2018, 57 people were murdered by knives
The number of stab victims in England aged 10 to 16 rose by 63% in the five years from 2012 to 2017
How do the statistics compare with your perceptions of crime?
Majority
of stab victims are male

5. Serious Violence Strategy
Crime figures released in July showed knife crime surged by 16% from September 2017.
Government has made tackling serious violence a top priority
In 2018 Serious Violence Strategy backed with £40m of Home Office funding
Is that figure (16%) higher or lower than you thought? How / why?
Do you think it should be a priority for Government or is it someone else’s responsibility? Does it feel like a priority?
Government response to rise in serious violence was the Serious Violence Strategy, announced in April Have you noticed a difference when you go out / in your area? For example, more police on the streets?

6. Around half the rise in robbery, gun and knife crime is due to better police recording of offences.
‘Knife crime’ may now include crimes that were not previously reported or measured, but the fact is, the more people are aware of a problem, the more likely they are to report it.
The rest is mainly due to drug market violence and ‘county lines’, where gangs set up drug dealing operations outside their usual area.

7. What are the penalties?
If you murder someone, you could go to prison for life and you will have to serve at least 25 years
The average sentence for knife possession is 7 to 8 months
Get caught with a knife more than once, go to jail for at least 6 months
Threaten someone with a weapon, including acid, go to jail for at least 6 months – no matter what age you are
If you get caught by the police carrying an offensive weapon in a public place, you will be arrested. It's important to know that if you use a knife to hurt or stab someone you could receive a custodial sentence. If you are under 18 then this will be in a young offender's institute, over 18’s prison.
The maximum sentence for carrying a knife is 4 years

8. Impact of choices made Employment Family Future plans Relationships
In addition to the serious harm to self and others that choosing to carry / use a weapon can have, there are other areas of life that can be impacted on that might not be so obvious.
Working in pairs, divide a piece of paper into four (as above) and discuss the impact that being arrested and / or charged with carrying a knife could have on different areas of a young person’s life. Note ideas down under the appropriate heading.

9. In their words
No one got hurt but my life has changed forever.
All my friends are going to Thailand but they won’t let me in the country.
I had it in my bag for my boyfriend but now he doesn’t want to know.
Employers aren’t interested once they know I got done for carrying a knife. It isn’t like I’d take one into work but no one wants to give me a chance.
My parents are so disappointed in me. My mum keeps crying.
How might being charged with carrying an offensive weapon impact on your life goals?
Discuss with a partner the impact it might have on all stages.
I carried it for protection but now everyone thinks I’m looking for trouble.