Students learn how decisions create consequences around knife crime
Students at Sandwell schools were given a close-up look at the consequences of knife crime during a police week of action.
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Officers from West Midlands Police made visits to schools across the borough to show pupils how the decisions they make can lead to different consequences and situations and the issues around peer pressure.
Using virtual reality headsets, the officers led workshops with videos to show students a scenario involving knife crime and how their answers to different questions can lead to different outcomes.
Aimed at 10 to 16-year-old students, there was no violence or weapons in the videos and the emphasis was placed on students making decisions and seeing the consequences of their decisions.
Inspector Daniel Allen, from Sandwell Police Partnerships team, said: “Using virtual reality replicates a scenario that young people could find themselves in.
“Young people can be pressured by their peers into carrying a knife and these workshops are a safe environment for students to not only see the consequences through their headsets, but also have discussions with officers and peers.
“The sessions are all part of our continued efforts to deter young people from carrying knives.”
A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "We take knife crime and carrying a weapon seriously.
"If you know someone who is carrying a weapon, please call us on 101 to report.
"You can also talk to us online or report anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
"For more information and advice to ditch the knife, visit our #LifeOrKnife website at lifeorknife.west-midlands.police.uk."
