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<p>Tackling knife crime is a priority and the Government is determined to crack down
on the scourge of violence devastating our communities.</p><p>We are supporting the
police every step of the way in this effort. We have given them more powers and resources
to go after criminals and take knives and other dangerous weapons off our streets,
including through the recruitment of 20,000 additional officers and increasing police
funding.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has made £130.5m available this year to tackle
serious violence, including murder and knife crime. This includes: £35.5m for Violence
Reduction Units (VRUs) which bring together local partners to deliver a range of early
intervention and prevention programmes and tackle the drivers of violence in the 18
areas worst affected by serious violence; £30m to support the police to take targeted
action in parts of England and Wales most affected by serious violence through the
Grip programme, which uses data to identify violence hotspots and target operational
activity in those areas; and £20m for new early intervention programmes that will
help stop young people from being drawn into violence, including cognitive behavioural
therapy, family therapy, as well as specialist support in crisis moments such as when
a person is admitted to A&E with a knife injury.</p><p> </p><p>We have also invested
£200m over 10 years for the Youth Endowment Fund, which is funding projects to support
children and young people at risk of violence and exploitation and to steer them away
from crime.</p><p> </p><p>We acknowledge there is more to do which is why we are bringing
forward the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill so the law-abiding majority
can be confident they are safe. The Bill includes: Serious Violence Reduction Orders,
which will give the police the power to stop and search adults already convicted of
knife or offensive weapons offences; the Serious Violence Duty, which will require
authorities and bodies delivering public services to collaborate to prevent and reduce
serious violence in their areas; and offensive weapons homicide reviews which will
be introduced to improve the national and local understanding of causes, patterns,
victims and perpetrators of violence and homicide.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We
have also prohibited certain particularly dangerous types of knife through the Offensive
Weapons Act 2019 and have introduced the offence of possessing specified offensive
weapons in private. The Act also introduced Knife Crime Prevention Orders which will
provide the police with a vital means to steer those most at risk away from serious
violence. On 5 July 2021 we introduced a pilot for KCPOs across the Metropolitan Police
area.</p>
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