Youth violence is not just an individual problem — it is a network problem.
A new analysis from the Violence Research Centre mapped co-offender data from more than 200,000 UK police records. The findings reveal that adolescents aged 10-18 embedded in criminal networks are more likely to carry knives and commit violent crime, as well as become victims themselves.
The top 5% most connected youth are three times more likely to commit violent crime, seven times more likely to commit robberies and nine times more likely to be involved in organised crime than the wider youth suspect population.
On 20 May 2026, the Institute of Criminology and the Violence Research Centre held an online presentation of their study's findings, examining how the relational behaviours of young people, as captured by police crime records, shape their risk of involvement in violence, both as suspects and as victims. The study was led by Professor Paolo Campana, in collaboration with postdoctoral researcher Noemi Corsini, and Cecilia Meneghini from the University of Exeter. Their discussion was led by James Sutherland, Chief Superintendent of Cambridgeshire Constabulary.
Drawing on administrative records from Cambridgeshire Constabulary, the research focused on an at-risk population of young people aged 10 to 18 who are already known to the police, placing their offending relationships at the centre of the inquiry. The findings shed new light on the network structures and positions that drive vulnerability to violence, and point to practical opportunities for targeted, network-informed interventions. This webinar presented the key results and their implications for reducing serious violence among young people.
The project has been funded by the Nuffield Foundation, but the views expressed were those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the Foundation's views.
Read Campana's final report.
Read the main findings and policy implications.
View the Ten Key Insights.
Read the full story.