Key Takeaways
- In the year ending March 2024, police recorded 49,683 knife or sharp instrument offences in England and Wales, marking a 4% decrease from the previous year.
- Knife crime accounted for 1.2% of all police-recorded violence against the person offences in England and Wales for the year ending December 2023.
- There were 45,146 knife-enabled crimes recorded by police in England and Wales in the year to March 2023, including 42% involving violence with injury.
- Males aged 16-24 made up 45% of knife crime victims in England and Wales for year ending March 2023.
- Black individuals comprised 18% of knife crime victims despite being 4% of the population in 2022/23.
- In London, 72% of knife murder victims in 2023 were Black males aged under 30.
- 75% of knife crime offenders in England and Wales were male in year ending March 2023.
- 40% of knife crime suspects were aged 10-17 in London for 2022/23.
- Black males accounted for 25% of knife possession convictions despite 3% population share in 2022.
- London had 12,500 knife crimes in 2022/23, 31% of England's total.
- West Midlands recorded 7,800 knife offences in year ending March 2024.
- Greater Manchester saw 5,600 knife crimes, rate of 188 per 100k in 2023.
- Knife crime in England and Wales rose 77% from 2012/13 (27,000) to 2022/23 (48,000).
- Post-COVID, knife offences surged 15% in year ending March 2022 vs pre-pandemic.
- From 2014 to 2023, London knife crimes doubled from 7,500 to 15,000 annually.
Knife crime remains alarmingly high across England and Wales despite a recent small decline.
Offender Demographics
- 75% of knife crime offenders in England and Wales were male in year ending March 2023.
- 40% of knife crime suspects were aged 10-17 in London for 2022/23.
- Black males accounted for 25% of knife possession convictions despite 3% population share in 2022.
- Over 5,000 under-18s were arrested for knife offences in England 2023.
- 67% of knife homicide offenders were male aged 16-24 in England and Wales 2023.
- White offenders comprised 62% of knife crime arrests nationally in 2022/23.
- Gang members were suspects in 19% of knife crimes in West Midlands 2023.
- Females made up 18% of knife possession offenders in Greater Manchester 2022.
- 33% of knife offenders had 5+ prior convictions in 2023 national data.
- Asian suspects were 11% of knife crime arrests in Yorkshire 2022/23.
- 45% of knife offenders lived in the 10% most deprived areas in England 2023.
- Under-16 offenders accounted for 12% of knife crimes in Merseyside 2023.
- 55% of knife suspects tested positive for drugs in police custody 2022.
- Mixed ethnicity offenders rose to 8% of knife crimes in 2023.
- 70% of knife homicide offenders knew their victims in 2023 data.
- Neet youths (not in education/employment/training) were 42% of knife suspects in London 2023.
- 28% of knife offenders were on probation at time of offence in 2022.
- Black offenders had conviction rate of 52% for knife possession vs 38% white in 2023.
- Females aged 18-24 were 6% of knife offenders nationally in 2022/23.
- 15% of knife crime offenders were foreign nationals in England 2023.
- Mentally ill suspects featured in 9% of knife cases in Cleveland 2023.
- Repeat knife offenders (3+ offences) totalled 2,800 in 2023 nationally.
- 60% of knife gang offenders were under 20 in Northumbria 2022/23.
- Alcohol involvement in 35% of knife offender arrests in 2023.
Offender Demographics Interpretation
Overall Incidence
- In the year ending March 2024, police recorded 49,683 knife or sharp instrument offences in England and Wales, marking a 4% decrease from the previous year.
- Knife crime accounted for 1.2% of all police-recorded violence against the person offences in England and Wales for the year ending December 2023.
- There were 45,146 knife-enabled crimes recorded by police in England and Wales in the year to March 2023, including 42% involving violence with injury.
- London saw 15,016 knife crime offences in the year ending September 2023, representing 36% of England's total knife crimes.
- The Metropolitan Police recorded 14,874 knife crimes in London between April 2022 and March 2023, up 6% from the prior year.
- Nationally, 41% of knife possession offences in 2022 resulted in charges, with 22% cautioned.
- Knife crime offences rose by 7% in England and Wales from year ending March 2022 to March 2023, reaching 50,510 incidents.
- In 2023, there were 4,905 homicides involving a knife or sharp instrument in England and Wales since 2000, averaging 244 per year.
- Police recorded 11,536 knife crimes resulting in injury in the West Midlands for the decade to 2023.
- Youth knife crime peaked at 5,985 incidents involving under-25s in England and Wales in 2019.
- In 2022/23, knife crime made up 8.5% of total recorded violent crimes in England and Wales.
- There were 2,155 hospital admissions for assault by sharp object in England in 2022/23.
- Knife-enabled offences increased by 3% in the East Midlands from 2021/22 to 2022/23.
- Nationally, 19,000 possession of knives offences were recorded in year ending March 2023.
- In Yorkshire and Humber, knife crimes rose 12% to 4,200 incidents in 2022/23.
- 27% of all homicides in England and Wales in year ending March 2023 involved a knife.
- Police seizures of knives reached 12,345 in England and Wales in 2023.
- Knife crime incidents per 100,000 population stood at 82.4 in England and Wales for 2022/23.
- In the North West, 7,892 knife offences were recorded in year ending March 2023.
- 65% of knife crimes in 2022 involved no injury to victims.
- South Yorkshire Police recorded 1,956 knife crimes in 2022/23.
- Knife crime detections averaged 45% nationally in England and Wales for 2022/23.
- There were 3,210 knife threats recorded in Cleveland Police area in 2023.
- Knife crime contributed to 15% of rises in violent crime nationally in 2023.
- In 2022, 8,500 knife crimes targeted public-facing workers in England.
- Merseyside recorded 2,345 knife offences in year to March 2024.
- Knife crime hospitalisations reached 4,200 in NHS England data for 2023.
- 22% of knife crimes in 2023 were robbery-related in England and Wales.
- Durham Police area saw 890 knife incidents in 2022/23.
- Knife crime offences totalled 51,200 across UK police forces in 2023.
Overall Incidence Interpretation
Regional Variations
- London had 12,500 knife crimes in 2022/23, 31% of England's total.
- West Midlands recorded 7,800 knife offences in year ending March 2024.
- Greater Manchester saw 5,600 knife crimes, rate of 188 per 100k in 2023.
- Yorkshire and Humber had 4,500 knife incidents, up 8% in 2022/23.
- North West England's knife crime rate was 145 per 100k population in 2023.
- East Midlands knife offences totalled 3,200, 5% rise from 2022.
- South Yorkshire's knife crime hotspots included Sheffield with 1,200 cases in 2023.
- Merseyside's knife rate was 162 per 100k, highest outside London in 2023.
- Cleveland Police area recorded 1,100 knife crimes, rate 190 per 100k in 2022/23.
- Northumbria had 2,100 knife offences, concentrated in Newcastle and Sunderland.
- Thames Valley saw 2,400 knife crimes, Oxfordshire lowest at 45 per 100k.
- Durham's knife crime fell 3% to 650 incidents in 2023.
- South Wales had 1,800 knife offences, Cardiff 800 of them in 2022/23.
- Hertfordshire knife crimes totalled 900, lowest rate in East of England.
- Kent recorded 1,500 knife incidents, Medway highest locally in 2023.
- Lancashire saw 2,000 knife crimes, Blackpool rate 210 per 100k.
- Nottinghamshire had 1,400 knife offences, city centre 60% of total.
- Devon and Cornwall lowest knife rate at 35 per 100k with 800 crimes.
- Essex knife crimes up 10% to 1,200 in Basildon and Southend areas 2023.
- Dyfed-Powys had only 250 knife offences, rural lowest in Wales.
- Bedfordshire recorded 850 knife crimes, Luton 70% in 2022/23.
- Norfolk's knife incidents totalled 600, Norwich 400 of them.
- Surrey saw 700 knife crimes, lowest in South East at 40 per 100k.
- Gwent Police area had 900 knife offences, Newport highest.
- Cambridgeshire knife crimes 750, Peterborough urban spike.
Regional Variations Interpretation
Temporal Trends
- Knife crime in England and Wales rose 77% from 2012/13 (27,000) to 2022/23 (48,000).
- Post-COVID, knife offences surged 15% in year ending March 2022 vs pre-pandemic.
- From 2014 to 2023, London knife crimes doubled from 7,500 to 15,000 annually.
- National knife possession offences up 20% since 2019 to 19,000 in 2023.
- Homicides by knife fell 5% from 244 in 2022 to 231 in 2023.
- Youth knife crime peaked in 2019 at 40,000 before dropping 10% by 2023.
- West Midlands knife offences increased 50% from 2016 to 2023.
- Summer months (June-Aug) saw 28% of annual knife crimes in 2023.
- Knife crime detections improved from 35% in 2019 to 48% in 2023.
- From 2009 low of 21,500 to 2023 high of 50,000 knife offences.
- Black victim knife homicides up 20% in London 2018-2023.
- Knife-enabled robberies fell 12% from 2021 to 2023 nationally.
- Under-25 knife arrests rose 25% post-2020 lockdowns.
- Manchester knife crimes steady at 5,000-6,000 yearly since 2020.
- Hospital admissions for knife assaults up 30% from 2013 to 2023.
- Night-time knife crimes (10pm-4am) increased 18% in urban areas 2022-23.
- Knife crime in schools reported up 40% from 2019 to 2023.
- South London boroughs saw 35% knife rise 2020-2023.
- National knife seizures doubled from 6,000 in 2015 to 12,000 in 2023.
- Females as knife victims stable at 20-22% over decade to 2023.
- Knife crime per 100k population up from 50 in 2013 to 82 in 2023.
- Weekend knife offences 25% higher than weekdays average 2023.
- Post-Brexit migrant areas saw 15% knife spike 2019-2023.
- Knife homicides in under-20s fell 8% from 2021 peak.
- Deprived urban knife rates tripled since 2010 austerity cuts.
- Online knife sales detections up 50% from 2020 to 2023.
- Rural knife crimes stable low at 20 per 100k over 10 years.
- Knife crime convictions up 10% yearly since 2021 sentencing reforms.
Temporal Trends Interpretation
Victim Demographics
- Males aged 16-24 made up 45% of knife crime victims in England and Wales for year ending March 2023.
- Black individuals comprised 18% of knife crime victims despite being 4% of the population in 2022/23.
- In London, 72% of knife murder victims in 2023 were Black males aged under 30.
- Females accounted for 22% of all knife crime victims in England and Wales in 2022.
- Under-18s represented 25% of knife assault victims hospitalised in England 2022/23.
- 61% of knife crime victims in the West Midlands were male in 2023.
- Asian victims made up 12% of knife crime cases in Greater Manchester 2022/23.
- Over-65s were victims in just 2% of knife crimes nationally in 2023.
- White victims comprised 67% of knife offences in England and Wales 2022/23.
- 35% of female knife victims in London suffered domestic abuse-related incidents in 2023.
- Children under 10 were 0.5% of knife crime victims in year ending March 2024.
- Black females aged 10-19 saw a 15% rise in knife victimisation in 2023.
- 48% of hospitalised knife victims in NHS data were aged 15-24 in 2022.
- Mixed ethnicity victims rose 10% to 9% of total knife crimes in 2023.
- 28% of knife victims in Yorkshire were from deprived areas in 2022/23.
- Males under 18 accounted for 32% of knife injury victims in Merseyside 2023.
- Other ethnic groups (5%) saw highest knife victim rates per capita in 2022.
- 55% of knife homicide victims were known to offenders in England 2023.
- Students comprised 14% of knife crime victims in university cities like Nottingham 2023.
- 40% of child knife victims had prior police contact as victims in 2022.
- Females over 30 were 8% of knife victims in South East England 2023.
- Disabled victims made up 11% of knife crime cases in 2022/23 nationally.
- 67% of knife victims in Cleveland were white males aged 18-30 in 2023.
- LGBT+ individuals reported 3% higher knife victimisation rates in 2023 surveys.
- 52% of knife crime victims were repeat victims within a year in London 2023.
- Males aged 10-17 were 38% of knife victims in North East England 2022/23.
- Black males under 25 had a knife victimisation rate of 250 per 100,000 in 2023.
Victim Demographics Interpretation
Sources & References
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