ESSEX Police says a "great deal of work" is focused on tackling knife crime among young people. 

The force says more than half of all knife crime suspects are aged between ten and 19-years-old. 

Data from an FOI to Essex Police has revealed there were 162 offences involving a point or blade on school premises from 2019/20 to 2022/23. 

Of these 25 were in Basildon - the highest in all of Essex - followed by 23 in Colchester and 21 in Basildon. 

Castle Point and Rochford has ten incidents respectively and Tendring had eight. 

A spokesman for Essex police said that carrying a knife makes it more likely that the carrier will become a victim of a violence crime in some way.

The spokesman said: “We focus a great deal of our work on young people because more than half of all knife crime suspects are aged between ten and 19-years-old and the single highest proportion of knife crime victims are in the same age group.

“Tackling the availability, affordability, attractiveness, and accessibility of knives is also key is disrupting the supply and our business crime team lead the way in working with shop workers across Essex to help them become responsible retailers.”

Echo: Public - There are now 15 knife bins across Essex for anyone to dispose of their knives Public - There are now 15 knife bins across Essex for anyone to dispose of their knives (Image: Pexels)

The spokesman added there are a number of ways of helping young people such as using educational and diversionary methods such workshops held at secondary schools.

Essex Police can also impose orders on the people exploiting the young person so any contact between them ends.

There is also a strict ‘challenge 25’ policy – which means businesses can understand their ability to refuse sale of knives and agree to share relevant knife crime intelligence with appropriate agencies.

In the last year, Essex Police says it has carried out nearly 1,600 stop and searches across Essex with nearly 30 per cent of those resulting in either a weapon being found, drugs being found, or an arrest being made.

Essex Police said this was “nearly double” the number of stops being carried out five years ago.

Since January, officers from the serious violence unit have arrested 111 people, 86 of whom have been charged which has led to 55 weapons being sexed and destroyed.

There are 15 knife bins across Essex in which knives can be disposed of safely – by any member of the public.