Local Work on Youth Knife Crime to be Replicated Nationally

Operation Deter Youth is a pioneering programme that sees rapid intervention from Youth Justice Services for young people under the age of 18 arrested for knife-possession or knife-enabled offences in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes, spearheaded by Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Barber.

Now the Home Office has announced a new initiative that will see young people caught carrying knives given targeted support to steer them away from further offending.

The plans will see every child knife possession case referred to Youth Justice Services for intervention, mirroring the work already being done to tackle youth knife-offending and reduce youth violence across the Thames Valley.

Matthew Barber said: “Thames Valley has been leading the way in driving down knife crime and delivering life changing interventions for young people caught carrying knives. We know that early intervention is critical if we are to engage young people, address the root causes of knife carrying and break the cycle of offending.

“I am delighted this pioneering work is being used as a model to be rolled out across the country, taking more knives off our streets and diverting more young people away from the Criminal Justice System.”

Op Deter Youth was first piloted in Milton Keynes from January 2023. A second pilot was launched in Slough in March 2023 before a Thames Valley-wide rollout starting in December 2024 saw all nine Youth Justice Services in the Thames Valley delivering interventions from every Thames Valley Police custody suite.

Under the programme, Youth Justice Services make contact with under-18s that have been arrested for knife-possession or knife-enabled offences within just 90 minutes after notification of arrest. A home visit is also completed within 48 hours of a young person leaving custody.

Support tailored to each young person is then put in place with interventions ranging from Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) assessments, education, training and employment support, mental health support, and lessons on conflict resolution without violence and aggression. Support is also available for parents and carers.

Since implementation, the scope of the programme has been expanded to include all weapons, violence with injury and robbery offences increasing the reach of intervention.

The programme has been supported by almost £1 million of funding from the PCC to date.

Matthew added: “The fast-tracked processes used under Op Deter Youth vastly increase the levels of engagement of young people and improve future safeguarding opportunities by determining if a young person is being exploited.

“By taking a bespoke and holistic approach, we are tackling the root causes of offending, supporting young people to build skills for a safer future and preventing the escalation of violence within our communities.

“We have invested heavily in this area in Thames Valley and while I am pleased that the Government look to be adopting this model more widely, with concerns that their investment may fall short, the plans need the full support and financial commitment of Youth Justice Services. Nevertheless, this is a positive step forward in tackling knife crime and the wider culture of knife carrying among young people on a national scale.

“I’m proud that the work done here in Thames Valley has provided a template for the rest of the country to follow.”