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From today, anyone over the age of 16 caught in possession of a knife can expect to be prosecuted on the first offence.

Those under 16 who commit offences without aggravating factors can still expect to receive a caution coupled with referral to a knife education scheme to help them understand the dangers and consequences of carrying knives, and reduce the chances of re-offending. Their parents will also be notified and may receive parenting orders to ensure they play their part in changing their child's behaviour. If they go on to re-offend they are likely to be prosecuted.

The Prime Minister said: "We have to send out a message and reinforce it with immediate action. It is completely unacceptable to carry a knife. Young people need to understand that carrying knives doesn't protect you, it does the opposite - it increases the danger for all of us, destroys young lives and ruins families. Recent tragic events have reminded us of that. I am pleased to see the Police and the Courts working with us to tackle this and make the streets safe in all our communities."

The effective end of knife cautions for the over 16s forms the key plank of a package of tough new measures which includes:

On enforcement

•  £5 million of direct support for police and other delivery partners in the areas that are particularly affected by knife crime to support:
• increased use of searches, in targeted and intelligence-led operations, to complement the 100 new portable knife arches and 350 search wands brought in over the last 3 months.
• fast-tracking the 'knife referral project' in which all young people convicted of a knife offence but not receiving a custodial sentence attend a course to bring home the consequences of knife crime
• home visits and letters to parents of those young people whom intelligence suggests are known to carry weapons.

On rehabilitation

Youth Offending Teams will explore a new element to Youth Referral Orders which would involve day-long courses for young offenders convicted of knife-related offences, led by health professionals, to educate them about the injuries caused by knife crime

In schools

All schools who want help to tackle persistent knife problems should get it from their local police force. who are offering advice and support to students, parents and teachers concerns about knives and help to make them feel safe and secure.

With parents

Courts and Youth Offending Teams will be encouraged to make full use of the powers available to them and issue parenting orders to courts for knife offences for under 16s. Where under 16s are cautioned for a first offence, parents must be informed and warned that for a second offence there will be an expectation of prosecution, and they may be liable to a parenting order.

With hospitals

A new approach is being discussed with police and A&E departments where police will agree to faster response times when A&Es ask for help in dealing with victims of violence, and A&Es will look at how they can pass anonymised information to the police to help them improve the way they police the area.

Further information

A new national £3m advertising campaign designed by young people themselves to challenge the fear, glamour or peer pressure that can drive young people to knife crime was launched last week.

At the same time a campaign and website was launched at parents with the message 'If there's a knife in your child's hands, it's in your hands to stop it'.

• New hard-hitting knife crime adverts launched

• Talk about knives: campaign to parents Opens new window