- By Swati Singh
- Tue, 18 Mar 2025 07:56 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The popular streaming series Adolescence, which has currently topped the charts, revolves around the harrowing story of a 13-year-old boy who finds himself arrested for the murder of his female classmate, a crime in which he is accused of stabbing her to death. Since its release on March 13, viewers have been captivated by the series, sparking questions about its origins. Many are curious to know whether the show is purely fictional or if it draws from actual events. While the plotline of Adolescence is not based on a single real-life case, it was deeply inspired by the ongoing crisis of knife crime among young people in the United Kingdom, a concerning and real epidemic that has been making headlines in recent years.
Inspiration behind making Adolescence
In a recent interview, Graham, the creator and writer of the series alongside Jack Thorne, opened up about the process behind developing the storyline. He revealed that the team was tasked with creating a single, stand-alone piece that would eventually be expanded into a full series. During the brainstorming phase, Graham came across a news article detailing the tragic story of a young boy who had stabbed a young girl.
This article sparked a deeper exploration of the issues surrounding youth violence, particularly the alarming trend of knife crime in the UK. It was from this moment that the concept for Adolescence was born, blending real societal concerns with a fictional narrative to tell a compelling and thought-provoking story.
Director Philip Barantini said in a conversation with The Wrap, “In the UK, there’s a real problem with knife crime, certainly in the younger generation. There have been a series of of young boys who were killing young girls with knives, and it was really upsetting. That was the seed that we wanted to explore, and send a bit of a message and maybe spark a bit of a conversation.”
UK Knife Crimes
According to recent crime statistics, the year leading up to March 2024 witnessed a concerning rise in offences involving knives or sharp instruments, excluding Greater Manchester. Specifically, the total number of such incidents increased by 4.4% compared to the previous year, with a notable jump from 48,400 in 2022/23 to 50,500 in 2023/24. A closer examination of the data reveals that certain types of crimes involving knives saw more significant increases. Robbery involving a knife, for instance, experienced the most substantial surge, with a 13% rise. Homicide cases involving knives also saw a notable increase of 12%, while indecent and sexual assault cases involving knives rose by 7.1%. These statistics underscore the pressing need for continued efforts to address the root causes of knife crime and implement effective strategies to mitigate its impact on communities.