Knife crime cases fall as data shows violence down by a third in a decade

Knife crime cases fall as data shows violence down by a third in a decade Policing minister Sarah Jones welcomed new data showing a fall in overall violent crime and a drop in knife-related incidents - but said there is still more to do Knife crime cases have fallen by 6% in a year, new data shows - with the UK's policing minister branding it "change that matters". Figures released by the Office for National Statistics reveal there were 48,615 reported cases in the 12 months to June in England and Wales. This is down from 51,567 a year earlier - and 54,659 the year before the general election. Labour came to power in 2024 promising to halve knife crime within a decade. Knife-related killings are down by 25% and hospital admissions due to blade injuries have fallen 13% since then. Today's ONS figures also show homicides fell by 1% compared to the previous year, while robbery of personal property was down by 7%. And overall violent crime has fallen by more than a third in a decade. But there has been a significant increase in the number of adults experiencing domestic abuse, while statisticians estimate one million people experienced sexual victimisation. There were also an estimated 4.5million fraud cases - a 11% year-on-year rise. Policing Minister Sarah Jones told The Mirror: “This government has committed to halving knife crime in a decade. Today’s new figures show how far we have come already. “Knife homicides have fallen by a quarter since the general election. That is change that matters. Every percentage point is a young person kept safe, a family spared heartbreak and a community better protected from violence. "These statistics clearly show knife crime is continuing to fall, with knife assaults and robbery both down. All told, we have seen an 11% reduction in knife crime." Pointing to steps the government has taken, Ms Jones continued: "Change like this doesn’t happen by accident. Our progress is the result of determined action by police forces, local partners and communities, backed by this Government's commitment to tackling violence and knife crime. Through targeted hotspot policing and action against the most harmful offenders and gangs, we are taking knives off our streets and bringing offenders to justice." But she vowed to go further in diverting young people away from violencing. Ms Jones said: "To tackle knife crime, you have to tackle the causes of knife crime too. To achieve lasting change we must give young people positive alternatives and identify those at risk before they become victims or offenders. "That is why our Plan to Halve Knife Crime combines strong policing with prevention, early intervention and support for young people. "While there is still more to do, our message is clear: we will keep backing the police, bearing down on supporting communities and taking decisive action against those who carry and use knives. Every life matters, and we will not stop until communities are safer and fewer families suffer the consequences of knife crime." The ONS data estimates there were 939,000 incidents of violence - 36% lower than a decade ago. It is an astonishing 79% lower than the highest level on record in 1995, when there were 4.5million. In London knife crime dropped by 12%, while Greater Manchester recorded a drop of 16% and in the West Midlands the number fell by 14%. But harrowing data suggests 9.6% of over-16s in England and Wales were victims of domestic abuse in the year to March - around 4.7milliion people. Katie Kempen, chief executive at charity Victim Support, said: "The rise in partner abuse in the last year is a huge concern and should be a stark wake-up call. "These figures show the government's laudable aim of halving violence against women and girls (VAWG) within a decade is at risk, and may not be realised without bolder action and sustained investment across all parts of the criminal justice system. "Domestic abuse must be treated as the urgent national priority that it is." The data also shows a sharp rise in fraud cases, driven by a 13% increase in bank and credit account fraud, which accounted for 2.8million incidents. The Home Office said: "This government is alive to the challenge posed by fraud and is investing £250 million to combat it over the next three years. This includes a £31m investment for a new Online Crime Centre, combining the data, expertise and capabilities of the police, GCHQ, banks, telecommunications and tech firms."