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Research article
Sara Haylock
Imperial College London School of Public Health
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7650-7527
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background Since 2013, the number of violent crimes and offences by sharp instruments have increased continually, following a previous decrease, with majority of cases occurring among young people and in London. There is limited understanding surrounding the drivers influencing this change in trends, with mostly American-based research identifying risk factors.
Methods The aim of this review is to identify and synthesise evidence from a range of literature to identify risk factors associated with weapon-related crime, for young people (aged 10-24 years) within the UK.
A search strategy was generated to conduct a systematic search of published and grey literature within four databases (EMBASE, Medline, PsycINFO, and OpenGrey), identifying papers within a UK-context. Abstracts and full texts were screened by two independent reviewers to assess eligibility for inclusion, namely study focus in line with the objectives of the review. Weight of Evidence approach was utilised to assess paper quality, resulting in inclusion of 16 papers. Thematic analysis was conducted for studies to identity and categorise risk factors according to the WHO ecological model.
Results No association was found between gender or ethnicity and youth violence, contrasting current understanding shown within media. Multiple research papers identified adverse childhood experiences and poor mental health as positively associated with youth and gang violence. It was suggested that community and societal risk factors, such as discrimination and economic inequality, were frequently linked to youth violence.
A small number of studies were included within the review as this is a growing field of research, which may have led to a constrained number of risk factors identified. Due to heterogeneity of studies, a meta-analysis could not be conducted. As many studies displayed positive results, publication bias may be present.
Conclusions Several risk factors were identified, with evidence currently heterogeneous with minimal high-quality studies. However, findings highlight key areas for future research, including the link between poor mental health and knife-crime, and the trajectory into gangs. Risk factors should help identify high-risk individuals, targeting them within mitigation strategies to prevent involvement within crime. This should contribute to efforts aimed at reducing the rising crime rates within UK.
Systematic Review Registration Number: CRD42019138545
Registered at PROSPSERO: 16/08/2019
Keywords
weapon-related crime; youth violence; knife crime; risk factors; gang violence; gang membership; adolescent behaviour;
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CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at BMC Public Health.
No community comments so far
Submission checks complete
On 04 Sep, 2020
Editorial decision: Accept
On 03 Sep, 2020
Version 3
Posted 29 Jul, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 26 Aug, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 18 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 13 Aug, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 23 Jul, 2020
Editor assigned
On 22 Jul, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 21 Jul, 2020
Editor invited
On 21 Jul, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 24 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 11 May, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 11 May, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 11 May, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 05 May, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 05 May, 2020
Editor assigned
On 20 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 19 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 19 Apr, 2020
No comments provided
Review #1 received
Received 18 Feb, 2020
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 18 Feb, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 03 Feb, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 03 Feb, 2020
Editor assigned
On 31 Jan, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 31 Jan, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 31 Jan, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 30 Jan, 2020
Editor invited
On 30 Jan, 2020
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A new preprint design is coming!
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See the published version of this preprint at BMC Public Health.
This is a preprint, a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Sara Haylock
Imperial College London School of Public Health
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7650-7527
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at BMC Public Health.
No community comments so far
Submission checks complete
On 04 Sep, 2020
Editorial decision: Accept
On 03 Sep, 2020
Version 3
Posted 29 Jul, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 26 Aug, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 18 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 13 Aug, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 23 Jul, 2020
Editor assigned
On 22 Jul, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 21 Jul, 2020
Editor invited
On 21 Jul, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 24 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 11 May, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 11 May, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 11 May, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 05 May, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 05 May, 2020
Editor assigned
On 20 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 19 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 19 Apr, 2020
No comments provided
Review #1 received
Received 18 Feb, 2020
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 18 Feb, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 03 Feb, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 03 Feb, 2020
Editor assigned
On 31 Jan, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 31 Jan, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 31 Jan, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 30 Jan, 2020
Editor invited
On 30 Jan, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published article at BMC Public Health.
Background Since 2013, the number of violent crimes and offences by sharp instruments have increased continually, following a previous decrease, with majority of cases occurring among young people and in London. There is limited understanding surrounding the drivers influencing this change in trends, with mostly American-based research identifying risk factors.
Methods The aim of this review is to identify and synthesise evidence from a range of literature to identify risk factors associated with weapon-related crime, for young people (aged 10-24 years) within the UK.
A search strategy was generated to conduct a systematic search of published and grey literature within four databases (EMBASE, Medline, PsycINFO, and OpenGrey), identifying papers within a UK-context. Abstracts and full texts were screened by two independent reviewers to assess eligibility for inclusion, namely study focus in line with the objectives of the review. Weight of Evidence approach was utilised to assess paper quality, resulting in inclusion of 16 papers. Thematic analysis was conducted for studies to identity and categorise risk factors according to the WHO ecological model.
Results No association was found between gender or ethnicity and youth violence, contrasting current understanding shown within media. Multiple research papers identified adverse childhood experiences and poor mental health as positively associated with youth and gang violence. It was suggested that community and societal risk factors, such as discrimination and economic inequality, were frequently linked to youth violence.
A small number of studies were included within the review as this is a growing field of research, which may have led to a constrained number of risk factors identified. Due to heterogeneity of studies, a meta-analysis could not be conducted. As many studies displayed positive results, publication bias may be present.
Conclusions Several risk factors were identified, with evidence currently heterogeneous with minimal high-quality studies. However, findings highlight key areas for future research, including the link between poor mental health and knife-crime, and the trajectory into gangs. Risk factors should help identify high-risk individuals, targeting them within mitigation strategies to prevent involvement within crime. This should contribute to efforts aimed at reducing the rising crime rates within UK.
Systematic Review Registration Number: CRD42019138545
Registered at PROSPSERO: 16/08/2019
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
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