Half of young stabbing victims have criminal records

In 2021, 275 people were hospitalized after a stabbing incident. Around a fifth of them were under 20 years old. More than half of the young people who were stabbed were known to the police as suspects. Most of the incidents occurred on the street, the Central Bureau for Statistics (CBS) reports.

Of the young people under the age of 20 who ended up in the hospital, the location of the stabbing was recorded in about 60 percent of the cases. More than half (58 percent) happened on the street. Slightly fewer of these incidents occurred in and around the home or in places such as pubs, train stations and shopping centers.

Furthermore, CBS figures showed that between 2016 and 2021, an average of 62% of victims under the age of 20 who ended up in hospital after a stabbing were known suspects. This proportion was highest in 2019 (45 people). In general, most suspects were involved in theft (44%), followed by vandalism and assault (12% each).

Among young people under the age of 20, the number of stabbing victims rose from 30 in 2016 to 60 in 2021. Most were between 17 and 20 years old (71%). In the older age groups, the number of victims remained stable or even fell.

Furthermore, in 2021, the number of hospital admissions due to other forms of violence has decreased or remained the same compared to 2016. For example, the number of hospital admissions due to physical violence, such as fights, decreased in all age groups. For people under the age of 20, this number fell from 210 victims in 2016 to 125 in 2021, CBS reported.

To analyze the data, the CBS relies on the provision of data by all relevant agencies. Therefore, this time the figures are for 2021.