Schoolchildren were sworn in as 'junior detectives' on the University of Leeds campus as part of a knife reduction campaign.
A week-long initiative saw 16 pupils investigate a mocked-up incident and see for themselves the devastating impact of knife crime.
The Junior Detectives programme was developed by West Yorkshire Police with partners including the University of Leeds, NHS, Leeds Crown Court and Notre Dame Catholic Sixth Form College in Leeds.
The activities were attended by 12 and 13-year-olds from Roundhay School, Ralph Thoresby School, Leeds West Academy and Corpus Christi Catholic College in the Leeds area.
University staff and students helped organise the events, which gave pupils the opportunity to see a fictional scenario from first report through to the resulting court case.
The week centred on a 15-year-old girl who had been stabbed by a 17-year-old boy after she spurned his advances, and included themes of misogyny and violence against women and girls.
Pupils wore CSI suits to investigate a mocked-up crime scene at Leeds First Direct Bank Arena and learn about forensics.
They also saw how surgeons deal with the appalling injuries inflicted by knives and learned about the legal process by observing interviews of suspects and touring Leeds Crown Court, where they met His Honour Judge Howard Crowson.
In a first for the Junior Detectives programme, pupils also took part in a mock press conference with University of Leeds journalism students from the School of Media and Communication.
The Year 8 pupils were welcomed to the University’s HELIX learning innovation hub by Professor Shearer West, Vice-Chancellor and President.
She said: “I hope our young visitors will be inspired by their time at our University as part of this fantastic programme, as well as gaining a real understanding of the serious issue of knife crime.”
Also in attendance were the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire, John Robins, Professor Nick Plant, Pro-Vice Chancellor: Research and Innovation at the University of Leeds, and His Honour Judge Guy Kearl, the most senior judge at Leeds Crown Court, who talked to the young people about the challenges of solving crime and bringing perpetrators to court.
You are at one of the most amazing universities in the world. The reason why it is so successful is because it attracts the most inquisitive minds.
The half-day at the arena was also attended by Alison Lowe, West Yorkshire’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime.
Chief Constable John Robins said: “You are at one of the most amazing universities in the world. The reason why it is so successful is because it attracts the most inquisitive minds.
“The people who come here think about why things happen and ask why people do what they do. This is what you do when you are a detective. You have to be sceptical but not cynical. You have to question everything.”
Pupils also heard from guest speaker Noreen Khan, director of NEESIE, an organisation in Bradford which supports single mothers, who talked about the effects of knife crime on mental health.
Many of the University’s facilities were used during the week, including the School of Medicine’s simulation suite and the School of Law’s Liberty Building – where police conducted their mock interviews – as well as HELIX.
The programme culminated in a celebration event at the Liberty Building, where pupils were awarded the status of ‘anti-knife crime champions’.
Student experience
University of Leeds Film and Photography student Sophie Reeves said: “I volunteered to help because I wanted to bolster my CV. I wanted to get practical experience alongside my academic learning and make connections.”
Olivia Huyton, a third year Law student, said: “I thought the programme sounded really interesting and I wanted to learn more about knife crime.
Knife crime is an important topic that affects so many young people. The University has created such an immersive experience that is more engaging to school kids compared to traditional ways of learning.
“I was particularly excited about doing the immersive crime scene and the day at Leeds Crown Court. It’s great to be in a courtroom and get as much experience as I can as a law student.
“Knife crime is an important topic that affects so many young people. The University has created such an immersive experience that is more engaging to schoolkids compared to traditional ways of learning.
“Hopefully by educating them on the severity of the issue, programmes like this can prevent someone from ending up in a knife crime.”
Karola Das, a first year Criminology and Criminal Justice student, said: “I chose to volunteer because I wanted to try something new and develop my skills. I think it’s a great opportunity to learn more about the legal and criminal justice systems and to see professionals at work.
“I’m especially interested to learn more about the investigation process, such as working with witnesses and types of questions to ask in an interrogation.”
Later in the week, Law students met and quizzed Judge Crowson and several King’s Counsel during an hour-long session at the Crown Court.
Urgent and complex issue
Sarah Wenham, Senior Faculty Employability Manager for Social Sciences at the University, worked alongside PC Peter Homer from West Yorkshire Police to develop the concept. They felt that knife crime was an urgent and complex issue that needed to be addressed through education.
The University is looking to develop the immersive experience into a module for students so that they can also gain credit from applying their learning on this and similar projects in the future.
We feel that education is a vital part of combatting knife crime, and police forces from other parts of the country, including London, are showing an interest in this initiative we have developed here in West Yorkshire.
Sarah Shackleton, Employability and Placements Manager at the University of Leeds, said: “It is a real opportunity for young teenagers to learn about the terrible impact of knife crime and to pass on the knowledge they have learnt here to their peers.
“This year we also held a pilot scheme called ‘Detective for a Day’ with primary schoolchildren for the first time. We will use the lessons learnt at this event to roll out a further programme with younger children.
“We feel that education is a vital part of combatting knife crime and police forces from other parts of the country, including London, are showing an interest in this initiative we have developed here in West Yorkshire.”
Further information
For further information contact Jane Lewis in the University of Leeds press office at j.lewis3@leeds.ac.uk or pressoffice@leeds.ac.uk