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Police Scotland has significantly increased its use of stop and search tactics targeting young people, reaching levels not seen since the introduction of new regulations in 2017. This notable rise, attributed to growing public concern over youth violence and knife-related incidents, has led to a 38% surge in stop and search operations involving individuals under the age of 18. Over the past year, weapons were discovered on 231 occasions, the highest number recorded in eight years, including a case involving a 10-year-old boy found carrying a blade in Edinburgh.
The family of Kory McCrimmon, a Glasgow teenager fatally stabbed by a 13-year-old in 2024, has expressed support for the increased searches. Kory’s aunt, Jackie McTaggart, emphasized the importance of the tactic, stating, “If one knife’s off the street, that’s one less knife to kill somebody.” She also highlighted the urgent need to address the issue, saying, “Our kids are killing each other, and we need to do something.” Despite this backing, the practice remains contentious, with Scotland’s Children and Young People’s Commissioner raising concerns about the potentially distressing impact these searches may have on children.
Recent months have seen a series of tragic events involving youth violence. Although recorded crime statistics indicate an overall decline in violence among Scotland’s young population, several fatal incidents have stunned communities. In March 2024, 15-year-old Amen Teklay was killed in Glasgow, with two teenagers charged with his murder. In May, 16-year-old Kayden Moy died following a large-scale disturbance at a North Ayrshire beach, with three teenagers accused of his murder. Furthermore, police report that from April to June of this year, 20 children were implicated in 17 attempted murders, a steep increase from five cases during the same period last year. In September, a 16-year-old boy was charged with killing 22-year-old John McNab in Edinburgh.
The latest police data reveals that stop and search was used nearly 6,500 times against under-18s in the 12 months leading to April 2025, compared to just over 4,700 the previous year. This marks the highest deployment since the 2017 code of practice, which mandates that officers have reasonable grounds to suspect an individual is carrying illegal or harmful items before conducting a search. Superintendent Joanne McEwan describes the measure as “preventative, intelligence-led and fair, proportionate and legal.” She underlines the significance of recovering weapons from young people, saying, “The tragic instances that we’ve seen earlier this year bring into sharp focus why it’s so important that we’re able to intervene in terms of violence involving children and young people.” Recognizing the complexity of the issue, she stresses the necessity of multi-agency cooperation to address the root causes.
Historically, Scotland has battled high rates of violence, once being labeled the most violent country in the western world in 2005. The Scottish Violence Reduction Unit (SVRU), set up as a public health response, helped reduce homicides by 35% over a decade. However, Jimmy Paul from the SVRU expresses concern about emerging trends, particularly younger children becoming involved in violent activities, often influenced by aggressive social media content and online organization of fights. Police officers working in Kilmarnock schools report encountering children carrying knives for protection, reflecting a worrying normalization of violence among youth. Operation Stardrop has been launched by Police Scotland to specifically target youth violence, focusing on schools, transport hubs, and weapon possession. Nonetheless, the use of stop and search remains debated, with positive search rates at their lowest since 2017, and children’s rights advocates cautioning against unnecessary trauma.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance has acknowledged the pain caused by knife crime and affirmed the government’s commitment to tackling youth violence. She noted the declining overall youth violence rates but recognized that this offers little solace to victims’ families. Emphasizing a zero-tolerance stance on carrying weapons, Ms. Constance highlighted a multi-faceted approach including police enforcement, education, diversion programs, mentoring, and community engagement. Significant funding has been allocated to Scotland’s Violence Prevention Framework, alongside updated guidance for schools to manage aggressive behavior, aiming to create safer environments for young people across the country
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