Knife-point robberies have doubled in the past two years according to a study by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies. The figures revealed street robberies involving blades have risen from 25,500 in 2005 to 64,000 in the year to April 2007. But Richard Garside, the centre’s director, said it was important to keep perspective. “Where there are significant difficulties facing young people they tend to be in a very concentrated demographic,” he said. “We shouldn’t assume everything is getting worse because for a lot of young people it isn’t.” www.kcl.ac.uk/ccjs