The House of Commons’ Home Affairs Committee has published a report which says that knife crime is becoming ‘normal’ for young people in some areas of Britain.

The Committee found that high levels of knife violence relates to high levels of street violence between gangs and that while rural areas have experienced a small increase in knife injuries, knife violence is concentrated in the deprived parts of big cities.

The report’s recommendations include:

• better data-sharing about knife violence at a local level;
• early intervention with babies and toddlers born into dysfunctional families;
• and a more strategic approach to providing diversionary activities and support for excluded young people.

The report is available to download from the Committee’s website.