Why do you stab?
Knife offenses often have no clear cause. However, studies examine the underlying reasons. Photo: Lacie Slezak / unsplash
An evaluation of 21 studies in the United Kingdom shows for the first time why knife attacks occur. And what could really help against it.
It's not just in Germany that alarming numbers are being observed when it comes to violent crimes involving knives. In the United Kingdom, too, a solution to this problem has been sought for years. There, the number of stabbings committed by individuals under 18 years of age reached a new high with over 4.500 registered offenses in 2018. And while the increase is partly attributed to better police practices in recording such offenses, a large proportion of criminal offenses remain undetected. The so-called dark figure is likely to be many times higher than the official statistics.
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Investments in countermeasures do not lead to a decrease in crimes.
But the government is taking action: in 2021, the Ministry of the Interior provided over 130 million pounds (approx. 152 million euros) to combat knife crime and violent offenses. These funds supported various police strategies, including increased patrols, weapon controls, searches, and early intervention programs. For example, young people in critical moments, such as being taken into police custody, were to be better reached to deter them from future offenses. These measures are complemented by existing intervention programs carried out by the juvenile court after a conviction.
However, it has become clear that the results, despite the high time, personnel, and cost investment in combating knife crime, do not show a sustained decrease in offenses. This is partly due to inadequate data for measures and programs aimed at combating knife crime, making it difficult to draw conclusions about what contributes to the reduction of such offenses. The British Psychological Society (BPS) has now dedicated an evaluation to this issue, reviewing 21 papers on offender characteristics and intervention strategies to gather insights about the traits of knife offenders and effective interventions.
Pre-existing conditions from negative childhood experiences play a significant role.
The studies comprise 15 works on perpetrator characteristics and 6 studies on possible intervention strategies. The evaluation results show that knife-related crime is primarily associated with mental health problems, illegal drug use, and past experiences of violence as a perpetrator, victim, or witness. Female perpetrators also tend to commit crimes in domestic settings, while men are more likely to do so in public environments.
The analysis also distinguishes between perpetrators associated with gangs and those with no ties to such organizations. Gang-related stabbings thus involve "instrumental aggression" as a means to an end, for example, to protect "territory" for illegal drug sales. In contrast, non-gang-related stabbings primarily involve young people who are predisposed by negative childhood experiences, so-called Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
The lack of a father figure should also be addressed.
According to the evaluation, better access to support regarding housing, education, and employment can be an effective measure to reduce the number of people carrying weapons. It is suggested to fund mentoring programs and youth clubs that aim to help children and teenagers who lack a positive male role model in their childhood due to the absence of a father figure. The missing role of parenting should be addressed there. At the same time, parents should be better informed about the influence of the internet and the risks posed by violent media and violent social networks.
There is also a recommendation to shift the focus from crime-related education and deterrence to providing practical support for at-risk youth in areas such as housing, employment, education, mental health, conflict resolution, and social skills in dealing with adults, peers, and their families. Young people raised in so-called hotspots are particularly in focus, as the potential for conflict is higher there. Local authorities must also take responsibility for all youth who are not attending school, as they are the most at risk. This includes young people who are temporarily or permanently excluded from school, those who are not excluded but cannot participate in classes, and those who are homeschooled.
BPS develops five targeted measures
However, all these recommendations are nothing more than theory without a well-developed implementation plan. Therefore, the British Psychological Society has drafted an action plan summarized in five points:
- Provision of tailored support regarding housing, education, training, and employment for young people in disadvantaged neighborhoods (studies have shown that this leads to a 50% reduction in the number of young people carrying knives).
- Support for young people in finding a sense of belonging through secure emotional bonds in a family environment.
- Long-term funding for youth clubs and youth interventions – including mentoring.
- Identification and collaboration with youth who are excluded from education and/or do not participate in classes.
- Intensified engagement with the availability of "hunting knives" and the impact of violent entertainment in (social) media to identify their contribution to antisocial and violent behavior among young people.
Therapy and interventions can contribute to solving the problem
At the same time, it is emphasized that despite the evaluation of studies and current data, there is no clear, evidence-based framework for guidelines and practices from which effective measures to combat knife crime could be derived. However, the investigations clearly indicate that targeted measures, especially for at-risk groups such as gang members and troubled youth, can be an effective way to reduce the number of knife-related crimes in the future.
Particularly social issues, the lack of positive role models, youth clubs, and vocational training must be addressed. For non-gang members, it is important to focus on trauma-informed therapy and psychological interventions. Two-thirds of knife attackers have mental health issues, making it crucial to invest more in psychological services for youth.
So what do we learn from this evaluation? Of course, the publication by the British Psychological Society does not provide a step-by-step guide to immediately solve the issues surrounding knife crime in the UK. However, it is much more important that there is now increased focus on the factors that lead to these acts. This enables communities to derive understandable and truly effective measures for all citizens, based on much more than just a single statistic. A step that perhaps we should take note of here.
