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Hello again Resident Knife crime in the West Midlands has seen a downward trend recently, though it remains a significant concern. Here are the key points:
Statistics
• In the year ending December 2024, there were 4,664 knife or sharp instrument offences, a 12% decrease from the previous year. Knife-enabled robbery fell by 14% and assault with injury or intent by 11%.
• By March 2025, knifepoint robberies had dropped by 24% year-on-year, and the region previously had the highest per capita rate in England as of March 2024.
Causes
• Youth and gang issues: Young people are often influenced by gang culture, carrying knives for protection, status, or intimidation.
• Socioeconomic factors: High poverty, unemployment, and deprivation create environments where violence can thrive.
• Drug trade: Disputes over territory and control in the illegal drug market are closely linked to knife crime.
Prevention and Intervention
• Funding and policing: The government allocated £3.7 million for hotspot policing in 2025-2026, and Project Guardian used geospatial analysis to reduce violent crime by 16% in a year, seizing 500 weapons and making 812 arrests.
• Youth programmes: The £4.3 million-funded West Midlands Violence Reduction Unit runs initiatives like A&E navigators and social skills training. The CIRV programme in Coventry cut knife crime by nearly half by late 2023, and the Young Futures programme will provide early intervention.
• Weapon surrender: There are 30 weapon surrender bins across the region, with 659 weapons deposited between April and June 2023 alone.
• Task forces: The Knife Enabled Robbery Taskforce focuses on school-age crime, and the County Lines Programme closed 1,825 lines and seized 605 knives between July 2024 and June 2025.
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