Five research and innovation projects aim to make streets safer and rebuild trust in policing and justice

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has unveiled a £50 million scheme to make Britain’s streets safer.

The government funding brings together researchers, police, communities and frontline services to tackle crime affecting daily life.

Crime and Policing Minister Sarah Jones said: “This new programme will help us identify knife carrying better in public spaces and intervene sooner.”

Five research and innovations projects form part of the government’s £500 million programme aiming to halve knife crime and violence against women and girls (VAWG) within a decade.

 AI-powered national crime map 

The first project is to develop an AI-powered national crime map to identify concentrations of knife crime, VAWG, theft and anti-social behaviour at street level, with pilots targeting a 30% reduction in local crime. 

The second will fund new interventions to tackle VAWG, aiming for a 20% reduction in offences and a 20% increase in victim and survivor retention within the criminal justice system.

Challenges three and four focus on restoring public trust. The third will co-produce new tools with communities to measure confidence in policing, with pilots in at least four areas by 2027. 

Behavioural indicators and test detection technology 

The fourth, backed by £6.5 million announced during the Deputy Prime Minister’s visit to Ukraine in January 2026, will fund research to combat drone-smuggled contraband into prisons.

The fifth challenge will improve methods for identifying knife carriers, develop behavioural indicators and test detection technology in transport hubs, retail centres and night venues.

Science Minister Lord Vallance said the programme would harness the UK’s research community to “tackle these crimes and the problems they create in people’s daily lives.”