On Sunday 6th July 2008, I attended the Street Weapons Commission’s final report and here are some of the facts:
- Overall, levels of violent crime in England and Wales have fallen by 31% between 1997 and 2006/7, according to the British Crime Survey. Incidents of wounding (more serious injury) have fallen 28%, while assaults resulting in minor injury fell by 52%.
- Date from hospital accident and emergency departments indicate an increase in people injured as a result of stabbing.
- One in five 16 year old boys admitted attacking someone intending to hurt them seriously.
- 25% of young people at school admitted that they had carried a penknife.
- Nearly half of excluded pupils (47%) admit to having carried a weapon but say they have never used it. A further 21% have threatened somebody with a knife.
- Of those carrying weapons, 30% have carried a flick knife and 16% a kitchen knife.
- Girls are considerably less likely to carry a knife than boys (15% of girls compared to 40% of boys).
-More than eight out of ten (85%) of those who had carried a knife said the main reason for doing so was protection.
- Less than one in ten (7%) of those who had carried a knife had used it to threaten someone and 2% had used the knife to injure someone.
KEY FACTS: LONDON 2006/7
