Serious Youth Violence – Lessons from the Research

Every day there are reports about youth violence and knife crime – everyone is concerned about it! The ‘experts’ talk about why it happens and what needs to be done to fix it. It’s hard to understand what they mean or how it relates to you, your friends, or your ‘ends’. Meanwhile, you have to stay sharp, alert and figure out how to keep yourself safe.

This report is for young people and anyone who wants to understand what the ‘experts’ are talking about, where they get their information from, and what it means. It gives you the same information the Government and other authorities use when deciding what to do to about the youth violence issue. We have rinsed out much of the jargon leaving the facts – what works, what doesn’t and what’s going on behind the scenes with the Council, Social Services and Police.

Whether you just read the six page summary, delve into the research in Part 2, or dig deeper through the links into the full research reports in Part 3, this information will help you take part in the conversation ensuring you can relate your lived experience in the context of the evidence.

We want to start a revolution. A movement that makes our streets, neighbourhoods, and schools safer for young people, but the only way this will happen is when young people, and those that care for them, have the confidence to join the debate, ask questions and speak their truth to power.