Hundreds of youths charged in Denmark for carrying knives
The first half of 2023 saw some 303 charges pressed against people aged between 15 and 18 in Denmark for illegally carrying a knife in a public place.
The police figures, which reveal a high prevalence of knife offences, were released by the Ministry of Justice in a press statement.
“I think these numbers are very concerning. We know that gangs recruit from children and young people,” Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said in the statement.
The total number of charges for the same demographic in the whole of 2022 was 589.
The area with the highest number of polices charges for knife possession is Copenhagen, with 77 charges so far this year.
“We’ve seen some violent knife attacks in 2023 in which several of the episodes have involved very young people,” the minister said.
Some 66 cases of assault involving knives were registered by police in December and January.
Hummelgaard on Friday visited the police departed in Copenhagen’s “Vestegn” western district, where he spoke to officers about gang recruitment of young people and how to tackle youth knife crime.
READ ALSO: Denmark’s gangs ’get 10-year-olds to help’ with errands and transport
The government is scheduled next week to present a round of measures aimed at clamping down on knife violence.
That will include harsher punishments for crimes, the justice ministry said in the statement.
Specifically, a first offence for knife possession could give a two-week prison sentence, instead of the current one week. Second offences will result in 30 days in prison, up from the current two weeks.
In addition, the government will make carrying knives near schools, youth clubs and colleges an aggravating element in a knife offence.
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The police figures, which reveal a high prevalence of knife offences, were released by the Ministry of Justice in a press statement.
“I think these numbers are very concerning. We know that gangs recruit from children and young people,” Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said in the statement.
The total number of charges for the same demographic in the whole of 2022 was 589.
The area with the highest number of polices charges for knife possession is Copenhagen, with 77 charges so far this year.
“We’ve seen some violent knife attacks in 2023 in which several of the episodes have involved very young people,” the minister said.
Some 66 cases of assault involving knives were registered by police in December and January.
Hummelgaard on Friday visited the police departed in Copenhagen’s “Vestegn” western district, where he spoke to officers about gang recruitment of young people and how to tackle youth knife crime.
READ ALSO: Denmark’s gangs ’get 10-year-olds to help’ with errands and transport
The government is scheduled next week to present a round of measures aimed at clamping down on knife violence.
That will include harsher punishments for crimes, the justice ministry said in the statement.
Specifically, a first offence for knife possession could give a two-week prison sentence, instead of the current one week. Second offences will result in 30 days in prison, up from the current two weeks.
In addition, the government will make carrying knives near schools, youth clubs and colleges an aggravating element in a knife offence.
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