FOI 1204-2024/25- Knife offences in schools
Request:
Q1: For the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 and 2024 the number of offences involving a knife committed at schools?
Q2: For the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 and 2024 the number of offences involving a knife at school broken down by offence subgroup as per the Home Office counting rules?
Q3: For the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 and 2024 the number of suspects for offences involving a knife committed at schools broken down by age and sex of the suspect?
Q4: For the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 and 2024 involving a knife committed at schools broken down by how the suspect knows the victim?
Q5: For the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 and 2024 the number of suspects for offences involving a knife committed at schools broken down by age and sex of the victim?
Q6: For the questions above, what method did you use to filter offences down to those committed at schools?
Response:
Extent and Result of Searches to Locate Information
To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted within North Yorkshire Police.
I can confirm that the information you have requested is held by North Yorkshire Police.
Decision
I have today decided to disclose the following information to you.
I have disassociated the tables pursuant to section 40(2) – Personal Information. This is to refrain from particular incidents becoming identifiable and consequently the personal details of any persons involved being disclosed. Please see the exemption explanation below.
Q1 and Q2: Please see the table below showing the distinct count of crimes recorded between 01 January 2020 and 31 December 2024 where the weapon used field is populated with ‘Bladed Implement’ and the MO location subtype is ‘School’, broken down by crime type and calendar year. I am exempting low numbers and replaced with <5 tables pursuant to section 40(2) – Personal Information. Please see the exemption explanation below.
|
Calendar Year |
||||||
|
Crime Type |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
Total |
|
Arson & Criminal Damage |
<5 |
<5 |
<5 |
<5 |
<5 |
2 |
|
Burglary |
<5 |
<5 |
<5 |
<5 |
<5 |
1 |
|
Possession Of Weapons |
8 |
9 |
5 |
10 |
6 |
38 |
|
Public Order Offences |
<5 |
<5 |
<5 |
<5 |
<5 |
3 |
|
Violence Against The Person |
5 |
8 |
9 |
<5 |
5 |
29 |
|
Total |
15 |
18 |
15 |
13 |
12 |
73 |
*Distinct count as some crimes have multiple victims
Q3: The above, broken down by the offender's gender, home office standard age groups and calendar year. I am exempting low numbers and replaced with <5 tables pursuant to section 40(2) – Personal Information. Please see the exemption explanation below.
|
Calendar Year |
|||||
|
Offender Gender |
2020 |
2021 |
2023 |
2024 |
Total |
|
Female |
<5 |
<5 |
<5 |
<5 |
2 |
|
Male |
<5 |
8 |
<5 |
<5 |
11 |
|
Total |
1 |
8 |
2 |
2 |
13 |
I am exempting the specific ages of these individuals pursuant to section 40(2) – Personal Information. Please see the exemption explanation below.
|
Calendar Year |
|||||
|
Offender Age |
2020 |
2021 |
2023 |
2024 |
Total |
|
11-17yrs |
1 |
8 |
2 |
2 |
13 |
|
Total |
1 |
8 |
2 |
2 |
13 |
Q4: The above, broken down by offender victim relationship and calendar year.
|
Calendar Year |
||||||
|
Offender Victim Relationship |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
Total |
|
Acquaintance |
11 |
14 |
12 |
6 |
7 |
50 |
|
Not seen by victim |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
|
Victimless/crime against state |
3 |
4 |
3 |
6 |
4 |
20 |
|
Total |
15 |
18 |
15 |
13 |
12 |
73 |
Q5: The above, broken down by victim's gender, home office standard age groups and calendar year. I am exempting low numbers and replaced with <5 tables pursuant to section 40(2) – Personal Information. Please see the exemption explanation below.
|
Calendar Year |
||||||
|
Victim Gender |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
Total |
|
Female |
<5 |
5 |
6 |
<5 |
5 |
22 |
|
Male |
8 |
9 |
8 |
<5 |
<5 |
31 |
|
Not Recorded |
<5 |
<5 |
<5 |
<5 |
<5 |
3 |
|
Total |
13 |
14 |
14 |
8 |
7 |
56 |
I am exempting the specific ages of these individuals pursuant to section 40(2) – Personal Information. Please see the exemption explanation below.
|
Calendar Year |
||||||
|
Victim Age |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
Total |
|
Under 11yrs |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
|
11-17yrs |
10 |
13 |
8 |
6 |
4 |
41 |
|
18-34yrs |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
35-49yrs |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
50-64yrs |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
65+yrs |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Not Recorded |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
Total |
13 |
14 |
14 |
8 |
7 |
56 |
Q6. Please see Q1 & Q2
Exemption Explanation
Section 40 – Personal Information
Where an individual can be identified by such data, releasing it would clearly breach the first data protection principle of being ‘fair’ to the data subject.
Section 17 of the Act requires North Yorkshire Police, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which: (a) states that fact, (b) specifies the exemption in question and (c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption applies.
Section 40(2) is an absolute class based exemption, which does not require a public interest test, but requires the balancing of the legitimate interests of the public against the interests of the individual under the first Data Protection Principle; in that processing of personal data must be lawful and fair (DPA 2018 35(1), EUGDPR Article 5(1)).
This exemption applies because the right given under the FOI Act to request official information held by public authorities does not apply to the personal data of third parties where disclosure of that information would not be fair to the individual, and where there is no legitimate public interest in disclosure.
In all the circumstances of the case it has been determined that the duty to the individual under the Data Protection Act 2018 & EU General Data Protection Regulations, and the public interest in maintaining the exemption from disclosure of personal information held by the force in such instances, outweighs the public interest in disclosure. In this instance, personal information can only be disclosed to the individual concerned.
Releasing personal details to a person other than the data subject would not only breach the data subject’s Data Protection rights it may also breach the obligations placed on an authority under the European Convention on Human Rights
Pursuant to Section 17(1) of the Act this letter acts as a refusal notice under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in relation to your request.
Please note that systems used for recording information are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the data. It should be noted therefore that this force’s response to your questions should not be used for comparison purposes with any other responses you may receive.