In October last year I tasked a highly experienced team of more than 30 Home Office policy officials and analysts to develop an evidence-based, wide ranging and robust strategy for tackling head-on the serious violent crime which I know can devastates the lives of young people, their families and whole communities.
There can be no place in our society for these horrendous offences, and anyone guilty of committing acts of serious violence must continue to feel the full force of the law.
But our new serious violence strategy, due to be published in the spring, will also represent a step change in the way we think about and respond to it.
The evidence shows that intervening early can help us catch young people before they go down the wrong path, encouraging them to make positive choices.
Later this morning, the Office for National Statistics will publish the latest figures on crime in England and Wales, as recorded by police forces and by the independent Crime Survey for England and Wales.
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So far we have seen that crimes measured by the survey - the best measure of crime as it reflects the publics experience of crime - has fallen since 2010, but we have also seen a rise in police recorded crime over the past few years.
The Office for National Statistics is clear that much of it can be explained by significant improvements in police recording practices and more victims having the confidence to come forward, particularly in cases of sexual violence and domestic abuse: both things that I welcome.
But we also know that at least some of the increase we have seen in certain violent crimes, knife crime for example, is genuine, is happening across the country and is shifting to a slightly younger profile of offenders.
The approach we will set out in the strategy will establish a new balance between prevention and the rigorous law enforcement activity already happening up and down the country. It will shift our approach towards steering young people away from crime in the first place and put in place measures to tackle the root causes of the problem.
Combined with a tough law enforcement response, with tough new laws planned to address knives, acid and guns, our approach will help young people develop the skills and resilience to live happy and productive lives away from violence.
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We all want to protect young people, to give them every opportunity to flourish and thrive. So the fact that they are too often either the victim or the perpetrator of this terrible crime is a tragedy; and one which tells us that we cannot solve this problem with law enforcement alone.
By working closely with our partners and local authorities, young people will be equipped with the skills and resilience to pursue healthy and constructive lives away from violence. We will increase our support for initiatives that are already making a difference in steering people young people away from criminality.
A nationwide media campaign will also seek to shift attitudes and challenge the behaviour among those young people who view knife possession as normal and necessary.
As home secretary my most important job is to keep the people of this country safe, and I am determined to do whatever is necessary to stop this deadly cycle.
Amber Rudd is home secretary