Knife Crime 1
Can you go to prison for carrying a knife for protection, even if it is not used?
Yes - for up to 4 years
What age do you need to be to legally buy a knife?
18 years old
Can you be found guilty of murder if you don't commit the crime yourself but you are there at the time?
Yes - if someone is injured or killed by a knife while you are present you too could be prosecuted. You could potentially be sent to prison for murder in a ‘joint enterprise’.
True or false - 7 out of 10 young people who end up in A&E with a knife injury have been stabbed with their own knife.
True
Does knife crime tend to be highest in urban or rural areas?
Urban areas
What percent of people know their attacker?
80%
What is the most common reason for carrying a knife illegally?
For protection/ self-defence
Which age group is most at risk of being a victim of knife crime - 14-24, 25-30, 31-40 or 41-50?
14-24 year olds
Which types of knives are responsible for the most amount of knife-related murders?
Kitchen knives
How many pints of blood does the average human body hold?
8 pints
Is there a 'safe' place to get stabbed (on a person's body)?
No - get stabbed in the heart and you can lose all of your blood in one minute. But a wound in the arm or the leg can still kill too. Young people have died from wounds to the leg!
Is it legal to own a zombie knife that is kept at home?
No, it is not legal to own a zombie knife at all
What is the worst injury that can be committed with a knife?
Death
What other type of crime is knife crime most associated with?
Drug dealing - crime relating to county lines has been closely linked to knife crime
How many pints of blood can you lose before being at risk of death?
3 pints
In the 12 months up to March 2024, how many murders involving a knife or sharp instrument in England and Wales were there - 100-200, 200-300, 300-400?
262 - of which 57 murders were under the age of 25, and 17 were under the age of 16
What is the most common age range for carrying a knife? (EG teens, twenties etc).
Ages 11-17
What is knife crime?
Knife crime is any crime involving a knife or sharp object. This includes: carrying a knife, owning a banned knife, trying to buy a knife if you are under 18, and/or threatening, injuring or fatally wounding someone with a knife
How quickly could a person die if a major artery is severed?
Any stab wound can be fatal, but if a major artery is severed a person will bleed out very quickly and could die within five minutes. Major arteries run throughout the body.
In the year between March 2024 - February 2025, how many thousands of knife crime incidents were recorded by the Metropolitan Police?
15,182 - up 2.7% from the previous 12 months.
What percent of 10-11 year olds have considered carrying a knife?
6%
What is the Knife Angel?
A memorial for those who have lost their lives to knife crime. It is made of handed-in knives.
How many knives make up the Knife Angel?
Over 100,000.
If you are with someone and they have been stabbed, what should you do?
Apply pressure to the wound and call 999. If there is an object in the wound, do not move it, apply pressure around it.
What should you do if someone you are with is stabbed and goes into shock?
Apply pressure to the wound, call 999, lie them down and raise their feet higher than the rest of their body to increase blood flow to their heart and brain, and reassure them and wrap them in coats/ blankets etc to keep them warm.