This story from the UK discusses how gangs recruit children as young as 8 years old to serve as weapons support for older gang members. These children are recruited to hold knives for gang members, and they are often asked to attack others on members’ behalf. Both the Nottingham Post and Switch Up have both launched awareness campaigns to address this problem.
Marcellus Baz, the founder of Switch Up, discusses how the knife problem in the young population is the result of children spending time with the wrong types of people. He notes, “We know of incidents where eight or nine-year-old kids have been handed a knife – and some occasions when they've used them.” He further points out that children often don’t understand the seriousness of their actions.
The Post also visited a youth program and spoke with children about knife crimes and “the ripple effect” that goes along with crime. The children discussed their behaviors and coping mechanisms before and after participating in violence intervention programs.