15th October 2026
28th January 2026
A new book based on an exhaustive four-year study of the public health approach to violence reduction in Scotland and England will be published today by Oxford University Press.
The Public Health Approach to Violence Reduction: Stories, Movements, and Hope, takes the temperature of Violence Reduction Units (VRU) in Scotland and England. At a time when VRU funding is under threat in England, and concerns over violence involving young people are rising once more in Scotland, the book takes a fresh look at the potential of the public health approach to prevent violence and support young people to positive outcomes.
The authors interviewed over 100 key professionals involved in violence reduction, including senior policy officials and youth leaders, to understand what lessons can be learned from the past to inform the present.
Lead author Professor Alistair Fraser, who is based at the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research at the University of Glasgow, said: “We interviewed people up and down the country, from all walks of life – from former First Ministers to community organisers, young people to senior civil servants – to ask a simple question: what lessons can we learn from the past to inform the future?
“Although the question was simple the answers are more challenging. We argue for the need for a revolution in violence reduction – to build a new movement for change that connects the dots between policy and the street.”
The book argues for the need to bridge the gap between policy, practice and communities, with young people affected by violence a key focus. The authors argue that effective violence prevention must be grounded in the real challenges affecting young people today.
Fellow co-author Fern Gillon, University of Strathclyde, said: “We have seen growing concerns over violence between young people in schools and communities in Scotland. Young people and youth workers in our study stresses the links between violence and inequalities such as poverty and racism, as well as increased levels of anxiety and stress.
“While youth workers and schools are doing amazing work, only so much can be done against a backdrop of decimation of community support and statutory provision. These concerns have only grown following COVID and the severe cuts to services.”
The need for, and value of, public health approaches to violence reduction were recently underscored by reductions in violence in London.
New figures released by the Metropolitan Police earlier this month confirmed there were 97 homicides in London in 2025, an 11% reduction on 2024 (109) – this represents the lowest total since 2014, with London’s population having risen by more than half a million since then.
Keir Irwin-Rogers, co-author of the book and member of the cross-party Youth Violence Commission, commented: “Robust evaluations have continued to show that VRUs in England and Wales are contributing to a reduction in homicide and violence-related hospital admissions.
“With the future of these units beyond 2026 currently uncertain, it is vital that they receive the long-term funding and support needed to continue their important work.”
Susan McVie, Professor of Quantitative Criminology at the University of Edinburgh and co-author of the book, added: “The number of homicides in Glasgow and London are currently at a 20-year low, and population rates are far lower than comparable cities like New York. These numbers provide measurable success for strategies aimed at reducing the most serious violence in society.”
Authors, Alistair Fraser, Luke Billingham, Fern Gillon, Keir Irwin-Rogers, Susan McVie and Tim Newburn will discuss their findings at a book launch event in London this Friday (30 Jan), where they will be joined by leading voices involved in violence reduction in the UK, including Lib Peck (Director, London Violence Reduction Unit) and Will Linden (Deputy Director, Scottish Violence Reduction Unit).
The Public Health Approach to Violence Reduction: Stories, Movements, and Hope is open access and available now.
The event is being hosted by the Mannheim Centre for Criminology, LSE on Friday 30 January from 3-5pm. Although it is currently sold out, you can join the waiting list on the website.
The book is based on a research study funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, and is available free and open access with support from the ESRC. Further information regarding the study is available here
Crime, Violence and Inequality