Knife crime drops
The number of people cautioned or sentenced for carrying a knife or offensive weapon has fallen by 16 per cent since 2009, according to new figures.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said 5,466 offenders were caught between July and September this year, dropping from a figure of 6,490 during the same period in 2009.
According to the MoJ, the fall was more marked for juveniles, where the decrease was 28 per cent (1,253 to 904), than for adult offenders, where the decrease was 13 per cent (5,237 to 4,561).
The statistics also showed that just over a fifth (21 per cent) of those convicted of possessing a knife or offensive weapon between July and September this year were were jailed – the lowest figure since the second quarter of 2008.
Since May 2008 tougher sentences have been introduced for offences involving the possession of a knife.
Read more: 'Jail not a deterrent' in preventing knife crime
