Lib Dems to invest £500 million in youth services to help tackle knife crime
The Liberal Democrats have set out ambitious plans to tackle soaring levels of knife crime, by investing £500 million in youth services and adopting a public health approach to youth violence.
A Liberal Democrat government would create a £500 million ring-fenced fund for Local Authorities in England to spend on youth services. This would provide young people with positive, safe and healthy opportunities to prevent them being drawn into youth violence and gang-related crime. The party would also make local youth services a statutory service, protecting them from future cuts.
The Liberal Democrats would take a public health approach to tackling youth violence, modelled on the successful approach taken by Scotland's Violence Reduction Unit. This would involve identifying risk factors and treating them early on, with youth workers, police, teachers, health professionals and social services all working closely together to prevent young people falling into gangs and violence.
Liberal Democrats Parliamentary Candidate for Rugby and Bulkington, Rana Das-Gupta said:
"There is a problem with knife crime and something needs to be done about it. Recently in Warwickshire over 80 knives were handed in to county police during a week-long campaign. In Rugby 15 blades were handed in, 16 in Nuneaton, 17 in Stratford and 35 blades in Leamington. Liberal Democrats will support young people by investing £500 million a year in youth services and taking a public health approach to youth violence."
September 2019 - Over 80 knives handed in to Warwickshire police during week-long campaign https://rugbyobserver.co.uk/news/over-80-knives-handed-in-to-warwickshire-police-during-week-long-campaign-15189/