Fewer people being jailed for knife crime, with children responsible for a fifth of offences

17 August 2023, 15:40 | Updated: 18 August 2023, 00:38

The rate of knife-wielding criminals being locked up for their offences is continuing to fall in England and Wales and is now at its lowest level since 2015.

Figures from the Ministry of Justice show that just 30% of 19,086 offences relating to knives over the past year resulted in a custodial sentence.

It adds to a falling rate over the past 5 years after it increased to some 38% before the pandemic began.

Over a fifth of knife crimes in the year to March were carried out by young people aged between 10 and 17.

More than 200 of those offences resulted in a child being put behind bars.

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The government has promised to get tough on knife crime, as statistics revealed earlier this year that fatal stabbings in England and Wales are at their highest level since records began.

The Home Secretary has said she wants to see police officers make better use of stop and search powers.

Knife crime remains the most prevalent crime type in the country, with the 19,000 offences way ahead of the next highest figure of 4,109 motoring offences in the past year.

Drug offences, violence and theft reported the next highest number of crimes.

The average custodial sentence handed down by judges for knife crimes is increasing, though - in the year to March, it was 15 months.

That compares to an average of less than 11 months in 2017.