Keeping young people safe from weapons and violence

You may have heard frightening reports in the news about knife crime and violence and you may be worrying about how to keep your child safe. But it’s important to remember that Scotland is a really safe place to raise a family. Crime levels have actually gone down over the last 10 years, not up. That said, it’s always good to have open and honest conversations with your children, to help them make positive choices about safety.

This page explains more about why a small percentage of young people may carry a weapon, including a knife, and has tips for talking to your child about this difficult issue.

If your child is worried about things they’ve seen or heard in the news, our page on talking to your child about current events has tips to help.

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Why it’s important to talk to your child about knife crime and violence

There are sometimes stories in the news about young people carrying or using a knife. This may make both parents and children believe that lots of young people carry a knife or other weapons. But this simply isn’t true, and it’s important that your child knows it isn’t true and that it isn’t ‘normal’ to carry a weapon.

We must make sure that a young person understands that there is never any reason to carry or use an offensive weapon, including a knife.

Young people who carry a knife or other weapon often believe that it will keep them safe, when in fact the opposite is true. So even if you believe it’s something your child would never be involved in, having open and honest conversations with them and making sure they know the facts can help them make positive choices about safety.

Why do young people carry knives?

There are many reasons why young people may consider carrying a knife or other weapon, but often it’s because they don’t feel safe and they feel a weapon will protect them. This may be because they’ve been threatened, or they feel they need to have it ‘just in case’. There may be peer pressure involved, or they may be influenced by something they’ve seen online.

What many young people don’t realise is that carrying a knife or other offensive weapon – for themselves or somebody else – is a crime, and actually makes them far less safe.

Tips for starting a conversation about knives

Tip #: Pick your time and place

This can be a tricky topic to bring up and your teen may not want to talk about. It might help if you’re doing something else at the same time, like driving, preparing a meal or going for a walk.

If you hear or see a relevant story in the news, or in a show you watch, this can be a good way to start the conversation. Our page on talking to your teen about risky behaviour have more tips to help start those difficult conversations.

Tip #2: Don't give up

Your teen may shut down the conversation, but don’t give up. Try again another day when they may be more open to chatting.

Tip #3: Don't forget to listen

Your teen may have quite different views to you. If you want them to confide in you, it’s important to listen to what they have to say, even if you don’t agree.

Tip #4: Try to keep calm

This is an upsetting topic, so try to keep calm when you’re talking to your teen. If things get heated, remember to take a breath and count to 5 and maybe continue the conversation later.

Tip #5: Remind them they can always come to you

Let your teen know that they can always talk to you about anything, especially if they’ve done something wrong or are in trouble. Remind them that you just want to keep them safe.

You could also remind them they can always talk to another trusted adult, like a family member or teacher. They can also talk anonymously to Childline, or report crime anonymously through Fearless (see ‘Reporting crime’ below).

Tip #6: Remember you’re still a big influence on your child

As your child grows up, you may feel they’re not much bothered about what you have to say. You may feel they’re more likely to be influenced by their friends, or people online. But don’t be fooled! Your teen still needs you, and your opinion does still count, even if they don’t want you to know that.

Three teenage boys walking down a residential street.

Facts about knife crime and violence

It’s really important to listen to what your teen has to say, but it’s also important for you to help them understand that carrying a knife can put their lives, the lives of others and their futures in danger.

Remember that teenagers’ brains are still developing, and they don’t always think through the consequences of their actions (you can find out more about why teens take more risks here). So talking through the risks calmly and honestly can help them make safer choices.

Most young people don't carry knives

Listening to the news could make you think that lots of young people carry a knife or other weapon, and this may make your child feel afraid or insecure. But you can reassure them that in fact the vast majority of young people in Scotland don’t carry weapons – you could show them this page on the Fearless website if they don’t believe you.

Carrying a knife makes you less safe

Many of the young people who carry knives do so because they want to feel safe. Most never intend to use them. But carrying a knife actually increases the risk of being seriously injured or even killed. Here’s why:

A lot of knife-related injuries are caused when people’s knives are used against them.
Knife-carrying can lead to feelings of ‘false bravery’, which means young people may find themselves in increasingly dangerous situations.
If a young person is known to carry a knife, they may become a target. Their family may also be at risk.
Situations where someone has a knife can get out of hand and become violent extremely quickly.

Carrying a knife or other weapon is illegal

Many young people don’t realise how serious a crime carrying a knife is. We don’t suggest you try scaring your child, but here are the facts:

The police can stop and search anyone they suspect may be carrying a weapon. Anyone found in possession of a knife in a public place could go to prison, even if they’re carrying it for someone else or weren’t planning on using it.
If this happens, they could get a criminal record, which could stop them going to university or getting a job. It also places restrictions on countries they can travel to, like the USA, Australia and Canada, even for a holiday.
Anyone who is found guilty of having a knife or offensive weapon in a public place in Scotland can receive a maximum of 5 years imprisonment, a fine or both.
In the very worst circumstances, they could end up using the weapon and seriously hurting someone or killing them. If they kill someone, they could go to prison for at least 25 years.

You can find out more about weapons and the law on The Mix website.

The bravest thing to do is walk away

If they ever find themselves in a dangerous situation, the safest and bravest thing to do is to walk away. This goes for any risky situation they may find themselves in. To help them handle this, you could both think of excuses they could use to get away. Or you could set a code word or emoji they can quickly message you if they’re worried, so you can call them straightaway, giving them an excuse to leave. 

Good mates speak up

If your teen has information about knife-carrying they may be afraid to speak up. They may not want to be seen as a ‘snitch’ or ‘grass’. But speaking up is the right thing to do, and could save lives. Our section on ‘Reporting crime’ below explains how to do this.

Reporting crime

If your child has any concerns about someone carrying a knife or other weapon, or any other criminal activity, they can report it anonymously through Fearless, an organisation designed to help young people. 
If you have any concerns you can call Police Scotland on 101 or report the situation anonymously to Crimestoppers.
If you’re worried about a child’s situation you can also contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000. They can take action and signpost you to the right services and support agencies in your area.
If you think your child or anyone else may be in immediate danger, dial 999 and speak to the police immediately. The Police Scotland website has more information on what happens when you make a call, and how to get in touch by text or via contact Scotland-BSL.

How to support your teen to feel secure

It’s important to remember that the vast majority of young people across Scotland don't carry a knife or engage in violence. Those that do are often carrying them because they feel they need protection, not because they plan to use them. So helping young people feel safe is one of the best things we can do to support them away from risky behaviour.

Tip #1: Keep checking in

One of the best ways to support your teen is to keep chatting to them regularly and showing an interest in their life. You could ask them about school, their friends, the games they play, what they’re watching and who they follow online. They may not always seem that bothered, but the more you and your teen talk, the more likely they will come to you when they need help and support.

Our page on talking and listening to your teen has tips for keeping lines of communication open.

Tip #2: Help them build their self-esteem

Some young people believe that carrying a knife will make them feel more confident or earn them respect. So one thing you can do to support your child is help build their self-esteem, so they feel more comfortable in themselves and can be more confident and resilient. Our page on helping your teen build their self-esteem has lots of tips to help.

If you’re worried that they may be being pushed into risky behaviour by their friends or people they hang out with, our page on peer pressure and unhealthy friendships can help.

If they’re being bullied, our section on bullying has advice on what to do.

Tip #3: Set boundaries

The teen years bring so many changes – emotional and physical – that having a sense of what’s expected of them can actually help young people feel more secure. Our page on rules and consequences has tips for working with your teen to agree on reasonable rules and advice on what to do if and when they break them!

Tip #4: Encourage them to be part of something

Some children and young people join gangs because they like the feeling of being part of something. So encouraging them to join an organisation like a sports club, youth club or music or drama club can give them that sense of belonging in a safe way. You could also suggest they try taking up a new activity or volunteering. Our pages on things for teens to do and outdoor activities for teens have more ideas.

Further information, help and support

For young people

The following websites have information and advice for young people:

For parents

You can find further information and advice on the following websites:

If you’re concerned about a child being a member of a gang or involved in criminal activity, our pages on criminal exploitation have lots of information and advice to support you, including where to get help.

You can find out what the Scottish Government is doing to tackle knife crime and violence on the gov.scot website.