Part 2: Prevention, investigation and prosecution of crime Chapter 1: Functions relating to serious violence Section 13: Preventing and reducing serious violence
Subsections (1) and (2) define the terms ‘preventing’ and ‘reducing’ serious violence in an area’ to mean preventing people from becoming involved, either as a victim or perpetrator in serious violence in the area and reducing instances of serious violence in the area. This means that it could include early intervention work, to divert people away from serious violence.
	Subsection (3) provides that "violence" for the purposes of this Chapter includes violence against property and threats of violence (in addition to violence against a person), domestic abuse within the meaning of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and sexual offences, but does not include terrorism. Subsections (4) and (5) define the meaning of sexual offences.
	Subsection (6) provides that in considering what amounts to serious violence for the purposes of this Chapter particular factors must be taken into account. It will be for specified authorities in each local area to decide what amounts to serious violence in their particular locality, but in making any such determinations, the following factors must be considered: the maximum penalty that could be imposed for any offence involved in the violence; the impact of the violence on any victim; the prevalence of the violence in the area; and the impact of the violence on the community in the area. It is anticipated that work to answer these questions will form part of the development of the strategy required under section 8 or 9.