Thousands of teenagers across the county have experienced a hard-hitting mix of physical theatre, parkour, bike stunts and live rap as part of a major effort to help young people understand the dangers of criminal exploitation.

Justice in Motion’s CODE production has travelled across Lincolnshire, taking its distinctive approach into schools and public spaces to bring to life how young people can become drawn into county lines, knife crime and criminal exploitation.

Rather than simply telling young people about the risks, CODE draws its audience into a fast-paced story. Set against an urban playground, a vibrating phone carrying coded messages about times, deals and warnings reveals how exploitation can begin and the pressures that can leave young people vulnerable to criminal networks.

CODE performance at Lincoln City Square | Lincolnshire OPCC

placeholder image — CODE performance at Lincoln City Square | Lincolnshire OPCC

More than 2600 young people from year six upwards in Skegness, Grantham and Lincoln became part of the experience, exploring the issues through interactive workshops and presentations before seeing the themes brought vividly to life through physical theatre.

In Lincoln, CODE took the conversation beyond the school gates and into the heart of the city, where almost 1000 people turned out in City Square on 8 and 10 October for free public performances, taking the conversation about exploitation to families and the wider community too.

James, 13, who watched the performance in Lincoln, said: “It was really different to just being told about county lines. The story and the stunts kept you watching, but it also made you think about what was happening and how someone could get caught up in it.”

And the issue it tackles is far from remote. Home Office estimates show that around 15,500 children were identified as at risk of, or involved in, child criminal exploitation in the year ending March 2025, with the Government warning that the true scale of the problem is likely to be significantly higher.

PCC Marc Jones, Deputy PCC Sara Munton, Grace Tomlinson (OPCC) and Fearn Wilson (performing arts student at Lincoln College) join the cast of CODE | Lincolnshire OPCC

Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones, who championed the expansion of CODE across Lincolnshire, said: “Young people need to understand how criminal networks operate and where to turn for help. CODE gives them a powerful way to explore those pressures, while opening up conversations in schools and communities. Bringing the production into Lincolnshire, and making it available to the wider public, is an important part of that work.”

Anja Meinhardt-Bruckmann, Artistic Director, Justice in Motion said: "It has been absolutely brilliant, working closely with all of the partners, to bring CODE and the education programme to Lincolnshire. It makes a significant difference to us as an organisation and the reach of this work, to have a multi-agency approach, which allows greater impact overall."

Cllr Alex McGonigle, Executive Councillor for Community Safety at Lincolnshire County Council, said helping young people recognise the warning signs of exploitation before harm occurs is a key part of keeping communities safe. He said: “Rather than just talking about the dangers, these interactive CODE workshops enable young people to explore county lines, criminal exploitation and knife crime in an engaging way that sticks with them long after the session ends.”

Councillor Graham Marsh, Deputy Leader East Lindsey District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Community Safety welcomed the use of creative approaches to engage young people with the dangers of exploitation. He said: “I was pleased to see Skegness as one of the host locations and it was encouraging to have so many young people, families and schools getting involved. Education is key to protecting vulnerable children and young people from those who seek to exploit them. By working in partnership with the Police and Crime Commissioner, local councils, Lincolnshire Police and other organisations to deliver this project, we can help build awareness for safer communities across East Lindsey and beyond.”

The activity was supported by £30,000 from the Police and Crime Commissioner through proceeds of crime funding, £40,000 in serious violence funding from the Home Office to South East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership and Lincolnshire Police, and £30,000 from Lincolnshire County Council Public Health. City of Lincoln Council provided the venue for the Lincoln performances.

The work will now be independently evaluated by the University of Lincoln, looking beyond attendance figures to understand its impact and what can be learned from using creative approaches to engage young people with criminal exploitation, county lines and knife crime.