JohnPupils in Leeds have stepped into the shoes of West Yorkshire Police as part of a groundbreaking youth knife crime project.
For the first time, Leeds First Direct Arena was the setting for a fictional investigation as part of the Junior Detectives programme. 16 pupils from Corpus Christi Catholic College in Halton Moor, Roundhay School, Ralph Thoresby School in Holt park and Leeds West Academy in Bramley took on the role of detectives.
This included a half day at the arena itself learning about crime scene investigation, which was also attended by Alison Lowe, Deputy Mayor of West Yorkshire for Policing and Crime.
The pupils were ‘sworn in’ by Chief Constable John Robins QPM DL on Monday and followed the investigation through from first report to presenting the case at Leeds Crown Court on Thursday.
During the week, they had the chance to learn interview skills and put them into practice taking statements from an actor playing the victim and interviewing another actor posing as the suspect. They also had inputs from a surgeon at Leeds General Infirmary and Judge Guy Kearl KC, the Recorder of Leeds, about some of the consequences of knife crime. In a first for Junior Detectives, the pupils also had the opportunity to take part in a mock press conference with University of Leeds journalism students.
The fictional scenario 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.
Detective Inspector Nick Calveri, whose team have developed the Junior Detectives programme, said: “The Junior Detectives programme immerses the young people involved in a knife crime investigation and gets them thinking from the perspectives of victims, witnesses, suspects, families and the professionals who deal with the aftermath of knife crime.
“We need to be educating children about the dangers of carrying a knife and also talking about subjects such as misogyny and violence against women and girls before concerning ideologies and behaviour become embedded and harder to change.
“It was fantastic to have use of Leeds First Direct Arena and I’m sure the young people will remember for years to come being kitted up in CSI suits searching the arena seating for evidence.
“This is now the sixth Junior Detectives programme we have run across West Yorkshire and the feedback we have had from the pupils involved and their schools has been really positive. The programme culminates in the children being made anti-knife crime champions before going back into their schools to deliver projects to their peers.”
The Leeds programme was developed jointly with the University of Leeds with university students from courses including law and journalism involved throughout the week.
Alison Lowe OBE, West Yorkshire’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, said: “Education is essential to give young people an understanding of the seriousness of knife crime and to prevent it.
“It is important for young people to see the hard work that goes on behind the scenes, and fantastic that our partners can work together to facilitate this.
“Our vision is to keep our communities safe, just, and inclusive, and we are proud to support events like this to help create awareness through hands-on experience.”
