New figures from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan show what he says is a clear link between poverty in the capital and the rise in serious youth violence.
The data shows that the poorest areas of London are most likely to experience the highest levels of serious crime among youngsters.
The data comes amid fears that the end of the school year could see a rise in knife crime across major cities.
Mr Khan says he is funding 43 summer projects for vulnerable youngsters. He is also appealing to the government for more cash.
London has experienced a rise in killings since 2012 – and 2018 was the worst year on record for the city for a decade.
London violence: Some key statistics
- Between 2012 and 2017, the number of under-25s who were killed doubled to 64, before dropping back to 52 last year
- The number of deaths linked to criminal gangs has slowly grown, reaching 44 last year
- The number of people stabbed to death has also gone up year-on-year since 2014, to 81 fatalities in 2018
- In 2018 there were 135 killings in London. As of 7 July this year, there had been 74
The study for the mayor’s office shows that the poorer an area of the city is, the higher the rates of youth violence are likely to be. Read more
