Since the UK imposed a Covid-19 lockdown, the number of children under 18 arrested for crimes has increased by 9% in a year and by 16% since the outbreak began in 2020.
Official figures also show that a total of 58,507 children have been detained as of March 2023.
Arrests of children for violent crimes, robbery and knife possession increased significantly, with the highest increase (31%) for children for robbery, with 5,981 children in the year to March 2023. Children under 18 now account for more than 39% of all arrests for robbery.
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| As of March 2023, the total number of children arrested for crimes reached 58,507. (Source: Telegraph) |
Meanwhile, the number of children arrested for violent acts against others, from assault to murder, has increased by 22% since the pandemic began, while gun ownership among children has also reached a 10-year high. In the year ending in March 2023, the number of children with weapons increased by 21% since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and increased by 30% compared to a decade ago, to nearly 4,190.
Children also accounted for nearly 18.4% of all arrests for weapons possession. Nearly 4.6% of knife attacks that resulted in hospital treatment involved children under 16.
The figures were released just a day after the UK arrested five teenagers on suspicion of involvement in the death of 80-year-old Bhim Kohli, who was attacked while walking his dog in Franklin Park, Braunstone, Leicestershire, England.
Crime agencies and researchers have linked the rise in child crime to the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown, when children were isolated at home without the support of teachers, social interaction and sports.
The rise in crime since the pandemic began reflects a decline in school behaviour, with suspensions and expulsions likely to have increased by a fifth over the past academic year.
According to Mr. Jon Yates, CEO of the Youth Support Fund, a charity funded by the UK Home Office to prevent violence among children, there are three factors leading to the increase in this situation.
These include “the negative impact of children being out of school, out of social life and out of sport during lockdown”; family dynamics and lack of support networks during the pandemic; and cuts to public services supporting children such as care and youth facilities over the past decade.
| Spending on youth services fell by 56% to £448m. |
“During lockdown, young people have had very little access to guidance, support and intervention from youth services, teachers or trusted adults. I worry that we could be feeling the consequences of that,” said Simon Harding, professor of criminology at St Mary’s University.
He pointed out the fact that “there are many cases of children attacking or killing other children and using weapons that were once considered extreme outside of Hollywood or gangster movies but are now becoming commonplace.”
Gun ownership has also hit a 10-year high, with 4,189 children arrested for possession in the year to March 2023, up 21% since the Covid-19 pandemic and up 30% from a decade ago.
Children also accounted for 18.4% of all arrests for weapons possession. 4.6% of knife attacks that required hospital treatment involved children under 16.
Of those under 16 who were hospitalised for knife attacks, 38 per cent were children aged 10 to 14. In the past two years, some 19 children under 10 were hospitalised for knife injuries.
This “reflects a deliberate strategy by organised crime groups to recruit children into criminal activities”, according to Police Foundation Director Rick Muir.
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/anh-mot-tac-dong-tieu-cuc-khac-cua-dai-dich-covid-19-do-la-ty-le-tre-em-pham-toi-gia-tang-285170.html
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