Rate of repeat knife crime offenders in Lincolnshire rises

The Ben Kinsella Trust, which campaigns against knife crime, said the rate of reoffending shows investing in rehabilitation is crucial rather than "simply locking people up".

Figures from the Ministry of Justice show the Criminal Justice System dealt with 195 knife and offensive weapon offenders in Lincolnshire in the year to March.

Of these, 62 had a previous conviction or caution, meaning 31.8 per cent were committed by repeat offenders, up from 28.7 per cent the year before.

Across England and Wales, 31.5 per cent of knife and offensive weapon offenders had a previous conviction or caution – the highest rate since records began in 2014.

Subsequently, the rate of first-time offenders is at a record low, falling slightly to 68.5 per cent last year.

Patrick Green, chief executive of the Ben Kinsella Trust, said: "The increasing number of repeat offenders with knife crime convictions is alarming."

He called for "crucial" investment in rehabilitation rather than simply locking people up to break the "cycle of reoffending" the figures expose.

The figures also show the overall number of knife and offensive weapon offences dealt with by the justice system in England and Wales fell 3.3 per cent in the past year, from 19,200 in 2022-23 to 18,600 last year.

Yet, in Lincolnshire, it increased slightly from a total of 210 offences to 211.

Mr Green said the fall in offences dealt with by the justice system shows a "concerning anomaly".

He said: "Office of National Statistics figure released last month show that knife crime offences have grown four per cent in the last year, yet the latest figures from the Ministry of Justice show a fall in number offenders being dealt with by the criminal justice system.

"This does raise questions about whether the full force of the law is being correctly applied in knife crime cases."

He added the "alarming statistic" of 3,206 knife crime offences committed by ten to 17-year-olds is "deeply troubling".

In Lincolnshire, 9.2 per cent of knife and offensive weapon offenders were ten to 17-years-old.