South Coast charity calls for early intervention of knife crime
It comes as the government announce millions of pounds of funding will be used to crack down on knife crime hot spots
As the government announce millions of pounds of funding will be used to crack down on knife crime hot spots - we're hearing more needs to be done across the South Coast.
£26 million pounds will be used with which will support police to boost operations in knife crime hot spots identified by new mapping technology.
Karen Grove's from No Limits charity in Hampshire - she's telling us there needs to be more early intervention.
She said: "The most important thing for us at No Limits is that there is early intervention in educating young people around knife crime.
"Targeting those young people who may be at risk of those risk-taking behaviours and offering support for young people who are or have been involved in knife crime, to make some changes and to begin their lives away from those circles.
"At No Limits, we are passionate about making sure that early intervention through that non-judgmental education, does discourage young people away from getting involved in the first place.
"Also, ensuring that they are are helped to understand the effects of knife crime for their own future, as well as the future of families and victims' families."
No Limits charity supports people across Portsmouth, Southampton, Hampshire, and the Isle of Wight, and has an advice centre.
The government are introducing precise mapping data to help crack down on knife crime hot spots.
Ministers will be sharing national mapping technology with police to help them to target streets and places where knife crime occurs.
The Home Office says the vast majority of knife crime happens in the same locations.
They say £26 million will be used in a Knife Crime Concentrations Fund to support police.
It'll be allocated to the 27 police forces in England and Wales that deal with 90% of the crime.