VRUs contribute to drop in knife crime and violence – but complex challenges are limiting their effectiveness

22nd May 2026Sarah Gibbons, Contributing Editor, Policing Insight

An evaluation of the effectiveness of violence reduction units (VRUs) across England and Wales following their first five full years of funding indicates that the initiative has contributed to significant falls in hospital admissions due to knife crime and violent assaults, but also highlights that a range of structural and cultural challenges arising from the multi-agency approach – particularly around data sharing – are preventing VRUs from realising their full potential, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

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VRUs contribute to drop in knife crime and violence – but complex challenges are limiting their effectiveness

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