Evidence base
The evidence base for knife crime prevention, reduction and enforcement approaches.
Overview
Effective knife crime response should be grounded in evidence of what works. This section brings together research findings, evaluation reports, and data on the effectiveness of different interventions—from targeted policing operations to community-based prevention programmes. Understanding the evidence base helps practitioners prioritise resources and avoid approaches that may be ineffective or counterproductive.
Articles
Summary of Commander Stephen Clayman's independent review into online knife sales, commissioned following the Southport attack. The review examines age verification failures, grey market sales, delivery loopholes, and makes eight recommendations for reform including a knife retailer licensing scheme.
Pursue
A 2020 research study from De Montfort University demonstrates that rounded-tip kitchen knives cannot penetrate clothing fabrics, offering a potential crime reduction measure through safer knife design.
Prevent
The Youth Justice Board's 2025 Evidence and Insights Pack provides guidance on effective approaches to reduce knife crime among young people.
Prevent
Resources
Independent End-to-End Review of Online Knife Sales (Clayman Review)
Commander Stephen Clayman's independent review of online knife sales, commissioned by the Home Office and published in January 2025. The review examines the sale and delivery process for knives obtained online, covering UK retailers, overseas sellers, grey market activity, age verification, delivery practices, social media platforms, and regulatory gaps. It makes eight key recommendations including a knife retailer registration scheme, stronger age verification requirements, and the creation of a 'prohibited person' concept.
Pursue
Rounded Knives Campaign Policy Brief
Policy brief from De Montfort University Leicester and the United Nations Academic Impact Hub examining research into rounded knives as safer alternatives to pointed kitchen knives. The study tested over 300 stabbing motions using knives with different tip shapes on clothing fabrics, finding that rounded-tip knives failed to penetrate any garments while pointed knives caused significant damage. The brief recommends promoting rounded knives, campaigning for legislation restricting pointed knives, and engaging manufacturers to produce safer alternatives. Author: Leisa Nichols-Drew, Chartered Forensic Practitioner and Associate Professor at DMU.
Prevent
County Lines Programme Evaluation 2025
Government evaluation of the County Lines Programme (January 2020 to January 2025). The evaluation found the Programme led to a 25% reduction in hospital admissions for stabbings in exporter areas, preventing approximately 672 hospitalisations per year. Demonstrates the effectiveness of targeting county lines networks in reducing serious knife-related harm.
Pursue
House of Commons Library - Knife Crime Statistics
Regularly updated briefing from the House of Commons Library providing comprehensive knife crime statistics for England and Wales. Includes police recorded crime data, hospital admissions, homicide figures, regional comparisons by police force area, and sentencing statistics. An authoritative source for current data on the scale and trends of knife crime.
External Links
YJB Knife Crime Evidence and Insights Pack 2025
A comprehensive evidence pack from the Youth Justice Board examining knife crime statistics, risk factors, and the effectiveness of different intervention strategies. The pack provides data-driven recommendations for practitioners, highlighting that pre-court diversion and early intervention are more effective than prosecution and mandatory sentencing, and that some high-profile awareness programmes may actually be counterproductive.
Prevent
External Links