Data on knife crime offences from February 2019 to March 2022
Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.22.025249
I note you seek access to the following information:
Freedom of Information Act request – data on knife offences
This is a request made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“FOIA”).
Where we use the term “Relevant Offence” below, we mean a knife possession offence or any offence which involves the use of a knife or a bladed/sharpened weapon.
Where we use the term “Relevant Borough” below, we mean any of the London boroughs of: Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark, Croydon, Westminster, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Waltham Forest, Camden, Islington, Haringey, Enfield, Barking & Dagenham, Redbridge, Greenwich, Ealing, Wandsworth, Hammersmith & Fulham, Barnet, Brent, Bromley and Hounslow.
1. Please provide the total number of individuals who:
a. were released from prison on licence during the period 1 February 2019 to 31 March 2022 (inclusive);
b. prior to release, had been serving a custodial sentence for a Relevant Offence;
c. had served that custodial sentence in a prison in a Relevant Borough;
d. were released from prison to a London address; and
e. were adults (18+ years old) at the time they were released from prison.
2. Please provide a demographic breakdown of the cohort identified in response to question 1 by:
a. sex/gender;
b. ethnicity; and
c. age.
3. Please provide the total number of individuals who:
a. were charged with a Relevant Offence during the period 1 February 2019 to 31 March 2022 (inclusive);
b. were on licensed release from prison at the time they were charged;1
c. were on licensed release from a prison in a Relevant Borough;
1 The offence for which the individual was imprisoned does not need to be a Relevant Offence, it can be any offence.
2
d. had been released from prison to a London address; and
e. were adults (18+ years old) at the time they were charged.
4. Please provide a demographic breakdown of the cohort identified in response to question 3 by:
a. sex/gender;
b. ethnicity; and
c. age.
5. Please provide the total number of individuals:
a. convicted of a Relevant Offence;
b. for which they were given a custodial sentence to be served in a prison in a Relevant Borough;
c. during the period 1 February 2019 to 31 March 2022 (inclusive).
6. Please provide a demographic breakdown of the cohort identified in response to question 5 by:
a. sex/gender;
b. ethnicity; and
c. age.
7. Please provide the total number of individuals:
a. convicted of a Relevant Offence;
b. for which they were given a custodial sentence;2
c. during the period 1 February 2019 to 31 March 2022 (inclusive).
8. Please provide a demographic breakdown of the cohort identified in response to question 7 by:
a. sex/gender;
b. ethnicity; and
c. age.
Decision
I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.
Please find below information pursuant to your request above.
These searches successfully located some of the information relevant to your request. I have attached an excel spreadsheet with the answer to questions 3a, 4a, 4b, 4c.
Please note there are three separate tabs within the spreadsheet, titled cover sheet, notes and table. The notes page should be read in conjunction with the data to ensure the report is interpreted correctly.
Please note that the rest of the requested data is not held by the MPS.
DUTY TO ADVISE AND ASSIST
The MPS has a duty to provide reasonable advice and assistance to applicants making a request, this is clearly set out in Section 16 of the Act. The majority of the remaining data is owned by the National Probation Service, who may be able to provide the prison release and licence data. Some of the other data may be obtained from The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) for the charged and imprisonment data.