Knife crime and serious violence
Serious violence includes the use of knives and guns and is associated with gang activity.
You might be encouraged to carry a knife, or you might feel you want to carry one to fit in with other gang members. You could also be pressured into looking after a knife or a gun for a gang member.
Knife crime isn’t just about stabbing someone or threatening them with a knife – just carrying a knife is illegal and you can be arrested. It doesn’t have to be a knife – any item that has been made or changed with the aim of causing harm to someone is an offensive weapon.
You should never feel pressured into carrying a weapon. As an adult, you can make your own decisions and choosing not to carry a knife or other weapon means you and people around you are safer.
What are the signs?
You might be worried that someone you know has started carrying a knife or is being forced to hide a weapon. Here are some things to look out for:
- Being secretive about where they are going or who they are seeing
- A change in attitude towards school/education
- Unexplained injuries and bruises
- Being secretive about what they have in their bag
- Spending time with new friends, who might be older than them
- A change in mood – they might be very anxious or become angry quite easily
Spotting these signs doesn’t always mean they are being forced to carry a weapon, it can be normal teenage behaviour, but if you are worried it is always best to speak to them. If they don’t want to open up to you, try and have a general conversation about knives and assure them they have a choice, even if they think they don’t. Make sure they know they can talk to you if they need to.
What could happen?
It is illegal to carry a knife in a public place and the police have the power to stop and search you if they believe you are carrying a weapon. Even if you don’t plan to use the knife, you could be given a prison sentence for carrying one. The maximum sentence for an adult carrying a knife or weapon illegally is four years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both. If you are convicted of carrying a knife or weapon illegally more than once, you will get a prison sentence.
Carrying a knife doesn’t protect you – in fact you are more likely to get hurt or killed if you have a knife. Situations can get out of hand very quickly and even if you never intend to use a knife, you could act without thinking and end up facing a murder charge. Equally, by carrying a knife you are handing someone the chance to use it against you.
You should also think about the devastating effect on your family if you were involved in a stabbing or a shooting, as well as the families of anyone else involved.
It is not true that there is a ‘safe’ place to stab someone – any stab wound can kill someone, whether it is in the chest, arm or leg.
If you don’t carry a knife but your friends do, you could still be charged if they use a knife to attack someone. This is known as the law of joint enterprise and by being part of the group, you could be seen as having encouraged or supported their actions, or not acting to stop it happening.