The overall number of knife and offensive weapon offences dealt with by the Criminal Justice System rose from 19,996 in 2023 to 20,422 in 2024.
This represents a 2.1% increase in one year and a 25% rise over the past decade. Despite the growing figures, immediate custodial sentences have fallen by 10%, with only 5,548 offenders jailed last year.
However, the average prison term increased to 8.1 months.
Analysts point to overcrowded prisons and a shift toward alternative sentencing as key factors behind the decline in jail terms for knife-related offences.