The ‘immediate, mandatory’ intervention children will face if caught carrying a knife
Children caught by police carrying knives could be forced to attend mentoring sessions as part of new government initiatives aimed at reducing reoffending rates.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced that police will now refer any child caught with a knife to youth justice services.
These locally run teams are responsible for creating specific plans designed to divert young individuals away from criminal behavior.
Under the proposed measures, young knife carriers may also be required to remain in education and training, with their progress subject to “intensively monitored” supervision.
The Department of Justice has clarified that offenders will still face charges where this is deemed the most appropriate course of action.
It comes after two pupils at a secondary school in north-west London were seriously injured after being stabbed.
Elsewhere, a teenage boy who stabbed 12-year-old Leo Ross to death in a random attack in the stomach was jailed for at least 13 years on Tuesday.
Those caught with a knife but not shooting will be reported to the police and brought before a judge.
Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister David Lammy said: “Every life lost to knife crime is an absolute tragedy.
“With early targeted action we can put children on the right track for a positive future and prevent them from falling into the toxic cycle of re-offending.
“Our reforms will give local services the security they need to help more young people and make our streets safer for everyone.”
The Ministry of Justice said the plans would be supported by a funding package of more than £320 million for youth justice services.
Policing minister Sarah Jones said: “Carrying a knife will now trigger an urgent and mandatory response with no excuses.
“This guidance ensures that each child is referred directly to a youth justice services team and given the support needed to turn the tide.
“We are acting quickly to stop violence before it starts and keep our streets safe.”
The number of teenage murders committed each year in England and Wales has almost halved to the lowest level in more than a decade, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.
By March 2025, there were 34 murder victims aged between 13 and 19; in the previous 12 months, that number dropped from 66 to 48 percent.
The decline is thought to be due to a sharp decline in murders committed by young people using knives or sharp objects.
These offenses fell by 59 per cent year-on-year, from 54 in 2023/24 to 22 in 2024/25.
The total number of youth murder victims is the lowest since 2012/13, when 31 were recorded.
