Anti-knife crime initiative extends to west Edinburgh

A hard-hitting knife crime campaign which has proven highly successful in educating young people about the dangers and consequences of carrying a knife is to be rolled out in West Edinburgh.

The news follows an announcement by Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill that he is doubling the funding of the award-winning scheme to ensure young people in more communities in Scotland can benefit from the No Knives Better Lives anti-knife crime campaign.

The scheme contributed to a 35% reduction in knife carrying in Inverclyde and a 29% reduction in knife carrying in neighbouring Renfrewshire during the period of campaigns there.

Under the initiative, a range of innovative tactics, targeted advertising in areas where young people are known to congregate, diversionary activities, work in schools and youth work interventions will be used to get the message across.

Latest official statistics show that recorded crime is at its lowest level in 35 years, the number of people carrying an offensive weapon in Scotland is down to its lowest level in a decade, down 38% since 2006/07, and those convicted of carrying a knife are now serving the longest prison sentences in a decade.