Knife crime in Northampton: ‘A split second decision can change your life and so many others’

Continuing the conversation on tackling knife crime across Northampton is Anna Letts, who is experienced in educating young people and anonymously reporting crime.

Anna now works independently as an educator and volunteer, having formerly worked for Northampton Town Football Club.

She hosts workshops around anti-violence, including antisocial behaviour, knife crime and peer pressure, for both primary and secondary school students – some in collaboration with partners and others involving sport.

Anna was in attendance at the recent launch of the ‘carry a basketball not a blade’ campaign and was called on to share her experience with the attendees.

She spoke of her work as a volunteer for Crimestoppers and the importance of anonymous reporting, as she says “snitches get stitches is still a real thing” in today’s society.

By hosting workshops on the children’s equivalent of Crimestoppers, fearless.org, young people in schools, youth groups and sports groups can gain an insight into why taking a stand against violence is important – and how they can do it anonymously.

Speaking at the campaign launch, Anna said: “For me, it’s about empowering the young people to teach and learn from each other.”

By working with secondary school students to become anti-crime ambassadors, it encourages them to consider what issues are prevalent in the areas they live in and what they are affected by.

“They then teach year sixes in primary schools, who listen to the important things they have to say.

“These year eights, nines and tens are almost at that point of no return or are at the vulnerable, at risk level,” said Anna. “They’re not necessarily in trouble with the police or have been arrested, but they’re at the point [where they could be influenced].

“Every young person I speak to in all these targeted groups of all the secondary schools I work in says the barriers they face to get out of this situation are massive.

“When you ask them why they aren’t reporting stuff or what they would do if they had a friend carrying a knife, they will tell you outright. They say they’re so far stuck into it and it’s all about how it looks.

“They say about the absolute myth that if you carry a weapon, it’s for protection and makes you safer. We know statistically that 80 percent of people who are hurt by knives, it is their own knife. It’s accidental. That statistic has been proved.”

Anna has learned that the main reasons for under 16s carrying knives is that they want to fit in and be accepted among friendship groups, for status, and for protection.

She said: “When I ask them what they are scared of, they say they think others carry knives so they do it for themselves.”

Though knives are important to tackle, Anna wants to make it clear that anything can be used as a weapon and it is about the intent behind their actions.

“Until we break down the barriers, we won’t get anywhere,” she said. “There is still a barrier between young people and the police – who are meant to be trusted adults.”

Talking about the importance of empowering young people to teach and learn from each other, Anna says teachers and the police can “talk until they are blue in the face, but children are more likely to listen to older students from their area”.

Anna’s sessions give them a voice to discuss what is going on in their area and to figure out what they can do about it through “positive choices”.

With involvement in negative behaviours starting at as young as eight years old – which Anna says is proven – these conversations have never been more important to have.

Crimestoppers’ work has a “massive impact” on encouraging individuals to anonymously report wrongdoings.

With a direct increase in anonymous reporting when Crimestoppers’ campaigns are in full swing, the organisation is making a positive change across the nation.

Anna said: “My ‘why’ is that I have seen firsthand the devastation knife crime causes to family, friends, teachers and the community – it has a ripple effect.

“Getting kids to understand and think about the whole community is hard. A split second decision can change your life and so many others.

“If I can stop any young people from going down that route and stop a family having to go through the devastation, I will do everything I can to help.”

The main message Anna wants to promote is to never take a weapon out and “report, report, report”.