There needs to be a full and comprehensive consultation held with relevant stakeholders, including representatives from children’s services, youth offending teams, the police, the voluntary and community sector, and the public, before KCPOs are brought into effect.
Key messages
- Knife crime has a devastating impact on victims, their families and communities. The recent rise in such crimes committed by young people is of enormous concern to local government.
- Young people who have suffered adverse childhood experiences or exhibit other vulnerabilities are more likely to be involved in the youth justice system. We should provide them with the support that they need to overcome disadvantage or trauma in order to live positive lives away from crime.
- The new clauses on Knife Crime Protection Orders, tabled by Baroness Williams of Trafford (Conservative), and the clause tabled by Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Labour), both seek to introduce civil orders to help the police manage people who are engaged, or at risk of engaging, in knife crime and help steer them away from crime.
- Should Knife Crime Protection Orders (KCPOs) be introduced, it is essential to ensure the new orders effectively tackle knife crime. These orders should not contribute to the unnecessary criminalisation of young people and should not disproportionately target any one community or group.
- There needs to be a full and comprehensive consultation held with relevant stakeholders, including representatives from children’s services, youth offending teams, the police, the voluntary and community sector, and the public, before KCPOs are brought into effect. We would welcome a full report on the root causes of knife crime and wider serious violent crime. This should include which early interventions are most effective in tackling serious violence.
- The Government's clause states the KCPO must specify a person or organisation responsible for monitoring compliance with the order. The amendments do not specify the individuals or organisations who might be expected to do this. During the House of Lords Committee Stage debates, the Minister indicated the designated person could be a youth worker who will be expected to supervise compliance with KCPO requirements.
- It is important that any new costs to local government associated with Knife Crime Protection Orders (KCPOs) are fully funded. Without additional resources, the new responsibilities placed on youth offending teams (YOTs) to monitor compliance with KCPOs will risk the vital work that these organisations do to prevent young people from becoming involved in criminal activity. A full assessment is needed to assess the potential impact to youth offending teams and other bodies who will be expected to supervise compliance with KCPOs.
- Local authorities are under significant financial pressure. Rising demand and reductions to central government funding mean that children’s services departments face a £3.1 billion funding gap by 2025, while the Youth Offending Grant has halved since 2010. We are calling on Government to do more to support a preventative approach by adequately funding youth services.
Download the full briefing
Offensive Weapons Bill, House of Lords, Report Stage, Knife Crime Prevention Orders