Compliance as a Tool Against Knife Crime
In the face of rising knife crime across the UK, the significance of stringent compliance measures cannot be overstated.
At Serve Legal, the market leading providers of ID and compliance testing, we are keen to support retailers adhere to age verification laws. In doing so, we hope to be a part of the nationwide mission to mitigate the risk of knives and other bladed articles falling into the hands of underage individuals.
The Growing Threat of Knife Crime
Knife crime has become a recurring and alarming topic in recent news, particularly involving young individuals both as perpetrators and victims. The tragic deaths of Shawn Seesahai, Alfie Lewis, and Brianna Ghey, all victims of violent knife attacks, highlight the severe impact of this issue.
The UK is taking bold action against the rising threat of knife crime with the launch of a Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, announced by the Government in September of 2024. Led by the Prime Minister and joined by campaigner Idris Elba, the coalition aims to address the root causes of youth violence by uniting campaign groups, victims’ families, and community leaders. Key initiatives include tightening legislation on dangerous weapons and curbing illegal knife sales online.
Local communities are also taking proactive efforts to address knife crime, such as the installation of knife amnesty boxes in Kettering, Northamptonshire, aimed at reducing the number of weapons on the streets.
The continuous news of knife related fatalities and incidents underscore the critical need for preventive measures, not only through law enforcement but also by ensuring robust compliance in the sale of knives.
It is clear that tackling knife crime is a nationwide issue, one that will involve the contributions of industry leaders and politicians across the board.
Serve Legal's Compliance Data
Trial Audits for Non-Clients
In Autumn 2024, Serve Legal conducted trial audits across 13 companies in various retail sectors, to offer business who do not work with Serve Legal an insight into their compliance landscape. These audits revealed significant insights into the effectiveness of age verification processes:
- Alcohol (No ID): 35% pass rate (20 audits)
- E-Cigarettes (No ID): 50% pass rate (20 audits)
- Knives (No ID): 60% pass rate (25 audits)
The data highlights that knives are relatively more controlled compared to other age-restricted products, but there is still significant room for improvement. This 60% compliance rate highlights that in 40% of instances, an 18 or 19 year old auditor was able to purchase a bladed article without the need for ID to validate the transaction.
With businesses across the nation employing the Challenge25 policy for age restricted items, Serve Legal continue to encourage retailers to train and test staff to ensure this policy is clearly understood and consistently implemented.
Successes of Serve Legal's Clients
More promisingly, Serve Legal's 2024 year-to-date data for supermarket clients indicates a 90% compliance rate for knife sales where auditors present ID when challenged and an 86% rate for scenarios where auditors are asked to withhold their ID, if and when challenged. We have been thrilled to see the consistent progression in the efforts of our supermarket clients, seeing a 3% compliance increase since 2023.
The continual improvement by these clients, now boasting a 90% pass rate, should encourage retailers that high levels of compliance are attainable when efforts are made to test, challenge and encourage staff.
Youth Perceptions on Knife Crime
Evermore frequently are we hearing stories about teenagers using or keeping knives for their own safety.
At Serve Legal, we are lucky to have a highly engaged database of over 8,000 auditors aged 16 and over. In light of current news, we presented our 16-17 year old auditors with a survey to gather perspectives on young people and knife crime. Here are some notable findings:
- 9% of auditors felt unsafe if their local area, due to knife crime threats.
- 42% have felt threated by the possibility of someone near them carrying a knife.
- 74% believe it was easy or very easy for a 16-17 year old to obtain a knife.
- 50% felt confident they could purchase a knife either in person or online, whilst aged 16-17.
- 42% know someone, personally, who has been affected by knife crime.
- 47% believed shops did not do enough to prevent teenagers from accessing knives.
Serve Legal’s Role
Serve Legal’s services are more vital than ever in this context. With over 18 years of experience in the ID compliance sector, we offer comprehensive auditing, Trading Standards approved best practice advice and exclusive benchmarking data, ensuring businesses meet the stringent requirements needed to keep knives out of underage hands.
Businesses are encouraged to leverage Serve Legal’s expertise to strengthen their compliance frameworks. By doing so, they not only protect their reputation but also contribute to a broader societal effort to reduce knife crime.
Explore Serve Legal’s range of auditing services here or contact our team directly to discuss how we can assist your business in meeting compliance challenges and safeguarding public safety.
