Further £130 million to bolster efforts to tackle violence

The government has revealed that Violence Reduction Units and ‘hotspot policing’ initiatives prevented 49,000 violent offences across England and Wales.

First established in 2019, Violence Reduction Units are a pioneering initiative established in 18 areas across England and Wales, bringing together local partners in policing, education, health, and local government, to share information in order to identify vulnerable children and adults at risk, helping steer them away from a life of crime and violence.

New figures show that areas that have rolled out Violence Reduction Units and intensive police patrols in violence hotspots saw 8,000 fewer incidents of violence leading to injury and 41,000 fewer incidents without injury, compared with areas that didn’t. This has resulted in an estimated £385 million avoided in associated costs for victims and society.

The government has said that it will inject £130 million in 2022/23 to further drive down the most devastating types of crime – including knife crime, gun crime and homicide.

The funding breakdown includes an additional £64 million for Violence Reduction Units, supporting the existing 18 and enabling two new units to be established in Cleveland and Humberside, an additional £30 million into the ‘Grip’ police enforcement programme, and further support for the implementation of the new Serious Violence Duty and Serious Violence Reduction Orders, being brought into law via the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.

The now 20 Violence Reduction Units across England and Wales will have a guarantee of funding for the next three years.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “While we will never let up our relentless pursuit to see the worst criminals thrown behind bars, it is quite clear there are many factors that can lead a vulnerable person into a life of seemingly inescapable violence. If we are to succeed in our mission to level up the country, we must do more to reach those at risk of violence early on to break the cycle of crime.

“Our Beating Crime Plan is delivering 20,000 more police officers to our streets and galvanising all parts of the public sector to collaborate to tackle serious violence. This very approach lies at the heart of our Violence Reduction Units and as set out today, we’re seeing some extremely encouraging signs of progress.”