As knife crime increases in the UK we are getting more and more enquiries from worried parents as they desperately try to find ways to combat it. Our Sheffield Polygraph Examiner explains how lie detector tests can help .

Q: Have you got a Sheffield Polygraph Examiner who can find out what my teenage daughter is up to?

My daughter, Daniela, is getting into a lot of trouble lately. She’s been hanging around with a local group of girls in Sheffield City Centre and I’m worried they are part of a gang.

I found a knife in her bedroom recently. It wasn’t one of those huge things, just a small Swiss army knife. I approached her about it and she said it was a gift from her father. I went absolutely crazy with him as although we haven’t been together for some time, we do still get along. To be honest, I was surprised he could be so stupid. Knife crime is a huge issue where we live and I used to think Daniela was more intelligent than this. Her father told me he didn’t give her the knife and so I asked her again. She said she’d never used it and had bought it as protection. All her friends have one she said.  I grounded her (she’s 16) and handed the knife into the police.

I’ve now allowed Daniela to go out again for a few weeks and I heard a group of girls beat up a pensioner the other day. They threatened him with a similar knife to the one I found in her room. They robbed him of his pension and left him there to die, it was terrible.  I asked her about this and she said it was nothing to do with her. I really need to know if she’s lying.

I’m prepared to move her to another part of the country if necessary to get her away from this gang she is in. We live in a council house and they’ve offered to transfer us up north. If I find out she has been involved in violence I’ll most certainly consider it.

Is she too young for a lie detector test and do you think it would help my situation?

B T., Sheffield

Response from Sheffield Polygraph Examiner

I am Lie Detector Test UK’s Sheffield Polygraph Examiner and in answer to your question I do believe a lie detector test will help your daughter. At 16 I am prepared to administer a test but you will need to sign a consent form.

Your concern is justified considering that South Yorkshire knife crime has almost doubled in the past 9 years. Unfortunately it is prevalent in most large UK cities and whilst there is much talk about solutions, there seems to be very little action.

It’s good to hear that you, as a parent, want to take the responsibility for resolving the issues with your daughter.

I would like to know whether Daniela’s behaviour changed when you separated from her father, among other things.

For this reason I suggest you call our free helpline on 07572 748364. Mention that the Sheffield Polygraph Examiner has asked you to call.  We will be able to establish whether or not Daniela was involved in the attack you mention.  But I may also be able to establish why she is behaving in this way. If we know the underlying cause, it will be easier to formulate a plan to get her back on track.