Milton Keynes City Council has published its new Youth Justice Plan which sets out priorities and local support, alongside the work of Thames Valley Police, to keep children and young people safe and minimise youth offending.
Data shows that youth crime continues to decline across Milton Keynes with a 12.3% reduction in violent offences committed by young people since 2021 [1]. The city also has significantly fewer first-time offenders (129 per 100,000 residents) compared to the average rate in the rest of England (153 per 100,000) [2].
Taking a preventative approach, the City Council’s Youth Justice and Support Service work with schools to fast-track specialist help for young people at the highest risk of suspension alongside their support for young people who are themselves victims of crime.
The team also work directly with young people to reduce the chance of reoffending. The ACT-NOW project was launched by the City Council in partnership with The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) and Thames Valley Police in 2023. Local young people arrested for offences including knives, weapons or serious violence, receive a visit from a dedicated youth justice officer within their first 90 minutes in police custody, and a home visit is offered within 48 hours.
This immediate reaction enables youth justice workers to swiftly develop effective intervention plans alongside families. Of the 322 individuals referred via this process, only seven young people have gone on to commit a further knife related offence.
Whilst the overall picture is positive, the City Council recognises that some parts of the city have higher incidences of youth offending, and local agencies will continue to focus additional efforts in these areas.
"ACT Now and Operation Deter has been a huge success across Thames Valley, including in Milton Keynes. It is so pleasing to see the results of ACT Now, diverting young people away from a culture of knife carrying, which can cause so much harm, both to them and to the wider community.
"Working with partners, we remain absolutely committed to helping to divert young people away from the scourge of knife crime, and we will continue to support young people with early intervention to protect them and offer them a more successful future."
“The local data is encouraging and shows what can be achieved when partners work together. However, serious violence remains a priority for the Milton Keynes Safeguarding Partnership and we know we need to focus on areas that experience higher incidences of offending. This plan commits us to keeping young people safe and ensuring every young person has the support they need to move away from offending and into education, training or work."
The new Youth Justice Plan describes out how local partners including the city council, police, schools, health and community organisations, will focus on early intervention, diversion from the criminal justice system, restorative approaches, education and training for young people.
The full plan is available to read online.
Notes to editors
[1] There has been a 12.3% decrease in violent offences committed by young people between Jan 2021 and Apr 2024. - Youth Justice Service Data Summary (YDS) England and Wales April 2025 – June 2025
[2] Youth Justice Service Data Summary (YDS) England and Wales April 2025 – June 2025