CRIM3003 Young People and the Criminal Justice System Assignment Sample

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Introduction

Knife crime among children and young people has seemed to be the main issue to have been developing in England and Wales; it has important consequences for the offenders, their families, and larger communities. The objective of this poster is to help increase awareness of the prevalence, causes, and consequences of Knife Crime among the youth and promote prevention. Students researching these critical youth justice issues can find cheap assignment help to analyze statistics, causes, and prevention strategies effectively. It has been some of the worst cases in which knife crime develops in England and Wales, mainly dealing with young individuals. It is essential to emphasise that knife crime is the reflection of the socio-economic and cultural context. It is nurtured by poverty, social inequality, and lack of opportunities. Furthermore, fear of violence and protection motivate many young people to carry knives.

CRIM3003 Young People and the Criminal Justice System Assignment Sample

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Richard Brown 8 Years | LLM

Statistics and Facts

• Assaults involving a knife or sharp object in England and Wales resulting in hospital admission showed a 9% decrease in 2022/23 compared with the previous year (Dr Cassandra Popham, 2024).
• Homicide victims from knife or sharp object assaults decreased by 13% (Parliament, 2023).
• Offences recorded by the police involving a knife or sharp weapon were 7% below pre-pandemic levels (ONS, 2018).
• 285 killings were using a knife or sharp object in England and Wales in 2018/19 (Parliament, 2020).
• Of those in the age groups of 13 to 17, 4% reported carrying a weapon within the past 12 months, a percentage representative of more than 140,000 youngsters (Nacro, 2020).
• These are statistics that keep showing the nature of knife crime among the young and the amount of work which needs to continue to be done regarding this serious issue.

Causes

• Peer Pressure: Many of the youths carry knives because of pressure among peers or involvement in gang activities. Sometimes, just to fit in or command respect among them, they do many dangerous things.
• Socio-Economic Factors: Socio-economic factors include poverty, lack of opportunities, and social inequality, all of which contribute to knife crime. Large swaths of young people may turn to crime for survival or financial benefit in areas with high levels of deprivation (Reilly et al., 2022).
• Fear and Protection: The main reason young people carry knives is that they feel afraid for their safety and as a means of protection, so in areas of high or familiar violence, carrying a knife can be regarded as necessary for self-defence.
• Lack of Support Systems: This concerns the positive role models that are lacking in support systems, and it encourages knife crime involvement. When family guidance and support, good teacher role models, and even community leadership have all been stripped away, it does leave a person much at risk of falling prey to several vices in life.

Consequences

• Impact on Victims: Knife crimes can be disastrous in providing massive and acute physical and mental traumatisation, poor health conditions in the future, and sometimes taking away their lives. There are many signs of after-effects on victims; permanent emotional trauma with a loss in quality of life may be reflected as long-term suffering (Vinnakota, 2024).
• Impact on Perpetrators: A young perpetrator receives legal sentences, like imprisonment and criminal records, that will affect the future of the juvenile in education, employment, or social integration.
• Impact on Families: Emotional distress for both victim and offender families, financial burdens, and disturbances in family functioning occur. These traumas often lead to long-lasting psychological effects and strained relationships.
• Impact on Communities: Knife crimes instil fear among members, reduce social cohesion within communities, and pose significant costs in terms of crime prevention strategies, law enforcement services, and medical services. There is a violation of the sense of overall safety and well-being of the community (Skarlatidou et al., 2023).

Preventive Measures

• Education: Planting educational programs in schools regarding the risks of knife crime and teaching ways of conflict resolution. This helps young people become aware of the consequences of carrying knives and teaches other ways to resolve conflicts.
• Community Programs: Such facilities of constructive activity and mentorship amongst youth should be provided through community programs. This would surely reduce the probability of youths engaging in knife crime (Vulliamy et al., 2022).
• Law Enforcement Initiatives: This is where the police efforts must be enhanced regarding knife crime through operations and community policing. The police's visibility being heightened, proactive police work deters the elements of knife crime and ensures communities are safer (Hendry, 2022).
• Role of Schools and Parents: Encourage collaboration between schools and parents to identify youths who are at risk and support them with necessary guidance. The collaboration between educators and families is crucial in dealing with the root causes of knife crime; hence, it offers timely interventions (Coid et al., 2021).

Call to Action

• Public Involvement: Engage the community in various local initiatives to prevent knife crime. Community engagement is important in creating safer environments.
• Support Organisations: Provide contact details for those particular organisations working against knife crime in one way or the other. They do provide necessary resources and support (Hendry, 2022).
• Advocacy: Advocate for policy and legislation on the root issues that feed knife crime, allowing for prevention programs. Advocacy for systems change will result in less knife crime and protections built for young peoples' safety (Grandhi, and Gulpham, n.d.).

Analysis

Knife crime among youngsters is due to many factors. The majority of the issues originate from peer pressure, gang involvement, and socio-economic backgrounds. The lack of positive role models and support further deteriorates the problem. The outcomes of knife crimes are serious and affect victims, perpetrators, families, and communities. Legally, the consequences may involve imprisonment and a criminal record, possibly having long-lasting effects on the lives of young people.

The problem of knife crime can be resolved only by the formation of preventive measures. Educational programs in schools can raise awareness among students regarding the dangers involved in knife crime and develop adequate conflict resolution skills. Community programmes with positive activities and mentorship for the youths will help them get off from criminal activities. Reinforcing law enforcement and coordination between schools and parents are also important to prevent knife crime.

The “Offensive Weapons Act 2019” aims to tackle knife crimes by implementing a ban on knives, with increasing punishments for the possession of them. This law will be one step toward resolving both the root causes and effects of knife crime among juveniles (Legislation, 2019).

Conclusion

Knife crime among children and young people is multifaceted and demands an all-round approach. The issue requires the involvement of the public in its awareness and root cause. Together, people can help build safer communities and provide the support young people need to help them live constructive and rewarding lives.

References

• Coid, J., Zhang, Y., Zhang, Y., Hu, J., Thomson, L., Bebbington, P. and Bhui, K., 2021. Epidemiology of knife carrying among young British men. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, pp.1-9.
• Dr Cassandra Popham, 2024. Behind the knife crime statistics: understanding children who carry weapons. Available at: https://youthendowmentfund.org.uk/behind-the-knife-crime-statistics-understanding-children-who-carry-weapons/ [Accessed January 14^th, 2025]
• Grandhi, S.R. and Gulpham, S., Engagement in Knife Crime: Review on Interventions.
• Hendry, J., 2022. ‘The usual suspects’: Knife crime prevention orders and the ‘difficult’ regulatory subject. The British journal of criminology, 62(2), pp.378-395.
• Legislation, 2019. Offensive Weapons Act 2019. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2019/17/contents [Accessed January 14^th, 2025]
• Nacro, 2020. Record high youth crime cautions/convictions for carrying knives. Available at: https://www.nacro.org.uk/news/record-high-youth-crime-cautions-convictions-carrying-knives/ [Accessed January 14^th, 2025]
• ONS, 2018. Homicide in England and Wales: year ending March 2018. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/homicideinenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2018 [Accessed January 14^th, 2025]
• Parliament, 2020. Our Generation's Epidemic: Knife Crime. Available at: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201919/youth-select-committee/full-report.html [Accessed January 14^th, 2025]
• Parliament, 2023. Knife crime statistics England and Wales. Available at: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn04304/ [Accessed January 14^th, 2025]
• Reilly, J.J., Naumann, D.N., Morris, L., Blackburn, L. and Brooks, A., 2022. Injury by knife crime amongst children is associated with socioeconomic deprivation: an observational study. Pediatric surgery international, 39(1), p.8.
• Skarlatidou, A., Ludwig, L., Solymosi, R. and Bradford, B., 2023. Understanding knife crime and trust in police with young people in East London. Crime & Delinquency, 69(5), pp.943-970.
• Vinnakota, D., 2024. Exploring the Factors Responsible for Gun and Knife Violence Among the Young Generation in the UK: A Scoping Review. Asian Journal of Public Health and Nursing, 1(2).
• Vulliamy, P., Hancorn, K., Glasgow, S., West, A., Davenport, R.A., Brohi, K. and Griffiths, M.P., 2022. Age-related injury patterns resulting from knife violence in an urban population. Scientific reports, 12(1), p.15250.