Research shows encouraging falls in violence through innovative early intervention programmes

A first of its kind independent evaluation of Violence Reduction Units (VRUs), established across England and Wales in 2019, found a nine per cent reduction in hospital admissions for knife injuries among under25s. The research also shows an overall fall in violence related hospital admissions of around 12 per cent — almost 4,000 fewer hospitalisations than expected over five years.

The Home Office commissioned report, authored by Professor of Criminology Iain Brennan and colleagues, assessed the impact of VRUs in 20 police force areas with the highest levels of knife related violence.

VRUs were introduced to take a public health approach to violence prevention, focusing on early intervention, partnership working and tackling the root causes of violence rather than responding after harm has occurred. They coordinate services including youth mentoring, sports programmes and access to specialist support.

Professor Brennan said: “England and Wales adopted an approach first developed in Scotland where, within five years the country went from one of the most violent countries in Europe to one of the safest.

“When first established in 2019 there was significant expectation that they might replicate the Scottish experience – and little evaluation or evidence on how those achievements were to be realised.

“VRUs follow public health approaches looking upstream and seeking to address the causes, rather than dealing with the consequences of violence.

"We have known for a long time that violence is years in the making. Part of the solution is dealing with those upstream causes through early intervention and the coordination of services who share responsibility for violence prevention.

“Countries around the world have begun to implement this type of public health approach to violence but this evidence of its effect on serious violence is a world-first and is really encouraging.”

Alongside VRUs, additional funding was provided for targeted “hot spot” policing, increasing patrols in areas with the highest levels of violence. The two approaches were designed to complement each other.

The evaluation focused on hospital admissions for violence involving sharp injuries among under-25s, widely regarded as one of the most reliable measures of serious violence because it is less affected by underreporting to police.

Researchers used synthetic matching, creating comparable groups of similar areas with similar levels of violence to those served by VRUs but without a VRU or additional funding in place.

Professor Brennan and colleagues have produced annual evaluations of VRUs since their introduction.