Reducing violence means confronting the underlying causes
Knife crime remains a stark challenge for the country, and local government is uniquely placed to tackle it.
Enforcement is of course crucial, but without long-term investment in prevention, the cycle of violence will persist.
In the year to March 2024, there were around 50,500 recorded offences involving a sharp instrument in England and Wales.
Hospital admissions have also climbed, and in 2023/24 there were 262 homicides involving sharp instruments, up from 243 the previous year.
These figures highlight that knife crime is not a brief spike but a worrying upward trend – one driven by deep-rooted social factors, not just easy access to knives.
The LGA recently reiterated its position ahead of a Westminster Hall debate in Parliament on the issue.
We argued that solely cracking down on knife supply isn’t enough. Reducing violence sustainably means confronting the underlying causes: deprivation, cuts to youth services, inequality and the erosion of local preventative capacity.
Councils, working closely with police, schools, health services and community organisations, offer the most promising route for long-term change.
We have called for a public health approach to knife crime – blending social care, education and law enforcement to build resilience and steer young people away from violence.
Yet that kind of intervention depends on sustained, multi-year funding and a funding model that better accounts for deprivation. Cuts in youth services, housing and education have severely weakened many councils’ ability to prevent crime before it starts.
Nevertheless, there are successes on the ground.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council’s anti-knife crime awareness drives, Hackney Council’s outreach programmes, Liverpool’s multi-agency week of action, and London boroughs supported by the Crime Prevention Fund all demonstrate that well-resourced local strategies can have impact.
But local innovation alone won’t bridge the gap. National coordination, long-term finance and greater policy alignment are essential.
Eradicating knife crime will not happen overnight. Rather, we need sustained reduction, grounded in pragmatism.
We need a child-first justice system that rehabilitates rather than criminalises young people, and for cross-government collaboration to address poverty, mental health and family instability – the roots that too often feed knife violence.
Our message is clear: we cannot arrest our way out of knife crime.
Enforcement has a role, but the real opportunity lies in the long game: prevention, partnership and people. Without investing in youth services, education, community resilience and multi-agency working, any short-term drop in offences is likely to be fragile.
The LGA will continue to call for a serious, long-term plan – one that trusts councils, funds them properly and builds on what is already working.
Knife crime isn’t just a policing issue; it’s a community issue, and local government must remain at the heart of the solution.
- Find out more about the work of the LGA’s public affairs team.