Knife Facts

What would a world be like without knives? They are a really important tool in our everyday lives. However, knife and weapon crime has blighted the lives of many.

Scotland has worked hard to improve its reputation as the murder capital of Europe. Here we give you the lowdown on the current facts and figures.

Resources

Present

The Facts

We couldn't live in a world without knives. From chopping veg to whittling wood, knives are vital to our everyday lives.

It would be easy to think that we need to banish knives to stop knife crime. But the truth is that from broken bottles to machetes, people grab whatever comes to hand when violence occurs.

Knowing the facts and figures helps us understand why knife crime happens and gives us more ways to tackle it effectively.

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Act

Get involved in some activities

Harmometer

The purpose of this activity is to arrange things on a harmometer (like a thermometer) by the potential harm they could cause.

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Don't Be in the Dark

These interactive videos are where you will learn the facts about knife crime in black and white. You’ll hear from someone who knows all the right...

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Maybe Aye, Maybe No!

An interactive game to explore the truth about knife crime.

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But They Look Like They Would...

A group activity to explore stereotypes and assumptions.

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Discuss

Get a discussion going

Yes or No

The purpose of this discussion is to tackle some of the myths about knife crime, so that everyone fully understands that violence is not the answer.

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Up or Down?

Thinking about knife crime statistics and whether they have risen or fallen in Scotland in recent years.

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Quiz

A chance to test your knowledge on knife crime facts and trends in Scotland.

Each quiz lets you answer questions as an individual or a group. When the quiz is finished, press the button to reveal the answers and see how much you've picked up. Feel free to try it more than once.

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Story

Real life behin the knife

Real life behind the knife

These real life stories explain the background, the challenges of being involved in knife crime and the hard lessons learned when trying to move on.

Click the link to read the story and interact with a video, audio track or illustration.

A Glasgow success story

Watch

Discover more with these videos and illustrations

Knife Crime Graffiti Animation

This animation is about a group of Scottish teenagers and the consequences of knife crime. Watch how a knife affects one teen as he finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Mark's Story: One Knife. Many Victims.

Mark’s night kicks off like any other. But a split second decision he makes early on will turn his life

What are the consequences of carrying a knife?

Do you know what the consequences of carrying a knife are? For a start, one of the key facts on knife crime is that if you carry a knife you are more likely to get stabbed yourself.

What happens if your friend gets caught with a knife?

Did you know that just being present at an incident involving knife crime could be enough to earn jail time? And depending on circumstances, you could even face a murder charge in the event of a death.

What happens if you use a knife on someone?

Don't be misunderstood about knife crime and the consequences. There is no ‘safe place’ to stab someone. It's all the same, and chances are you will be going to jail, no matter the eventual outcome.

Don't Be in the Dark About Knife Crime

If you get caught up in knife crime, you’re not just going to get a slap on the wrists. It doesn’t matter if it’s for your own protection or if you are carrying a knife for someone else. Just carrying a knife can get you sent to prison for up to four years, even if you don’t use it.

What happens if you're caught with a knife?

If you get caught up in knife crime, you’re not just going to get a slap on the wrists. It doesn’t matter if it’s for your own protection or if you are carrying a knife for someone else.