MPA Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board: Young Londoners demand answers to tackle youth crime

Celia Prentice on 30 September 2008 at 16:30

Tags: 2008, crime, eodb, london, mpa, mps, news, press release, press releases, stop and search, violent crime, youth,

49/08
26 September 2008

Young Londoners explained their fears about violent crime to Met officers at the MPA’s Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board (EODB) on 25 September 2008.

Kirsten Hearn, chair of the EODB, said:

“I welcome and thank the young people from the North East London College, Hillingdon Youth Service and the MPS Corporate Advisory Group who have come here to tell us their fears and concerns about youth crime in London. Knife related crimes are the Met’s top priority and I also thank DAC Alf Hitchcock, who leads on this issue, for taking part in our debate. Only by working together can young people and police find solutions to the terrible violence that is blighting our communities.”

The young people’s concerns were wide ranging and included being afraid to go out at night, worries about disproportionality in the use of stop and search and the effectiveness of search arches.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Alf Hitchcock explained how Operation Blunt 2 is being used to tackle youth violence in London, and how other police operations are working together to ensure the most effective use of resources. For example, Operation Tyrol looks at safety on the buses, with an increase in the number of Safer Transport teams and transport ‘hub’ teams. Officers are now working on integrating this operation into Neighbourhood policing.

Several young people stressed the need for a broader approach to divert young people from crime and called for more programmes such as Kickz, more sports facilities and citizenship courses. Police agreed that ways must be found to tackle such issues as peer pressure, while providing more diversionary projects and ensuring employment opportunities are available.

Cindy Butts, deputy chair of the MPA, said:

“The Met are doing some strong work to support young people that are trying to leave serious violence and gang life behind. The five boroughs gangs project and ‘Pathways’, part of Operation Alliance, are excellent examples of this approach.”

DAC Alf Hitchcock assured young men in the debate that stop and search is scrutinised by community monitoring groups set up by the MPA, which give local people the opportunity to discuss with officers how it is being used in their areas and make sure it is being used fairly. The MPA has produced a DVD on stop and search to be used as a teaching tool for both police officers and communities alike.

Screening arches have been use extensively across the capital, primarily as a deterrent to stop people carrying knives, but as one participant added they only make people feel safer when police explain clearly how they are going to be used.

As well as operational policing on the streets and in neighbourhoods, police are in regular contact with their communities, meeting with faith groups, holding ’street’ briefings in communities and visiting youth clubs. Safer School Officers have become central to this issue and are setting up youth panels in every school.

The Met has also been working closely with its partners, including the Mayor, the GLA, the London Youth crime prevention board and the London community safety partnership, to ensure the operational tactics used by the police are supported by youth reassurance and engagement.

Further media information

For further information, please contact the MPA press office

Youth crime - the MPA and MPS guest on Choice FM's Richard Blackwood show to hear what London thinks

Celia Prentice on 12 June 2008 at 16:42

Tags: 2008, choice fm, crime, london, mpa, mps, news, press release, press releases, radio, richard blackwood, violence, youth, youth crime,

30/08
12 June 2008

Cindy Butts, deputy chair of the MPA, and Commander Rod Jarman from the Met will be guests on Choice FM’s Richard Blackwood show on Sunday 15 June. Taking questions from listeners, they will discuss the problems young people face on the streets, how the police are tackling youth crime and call on communities to work together to help keep young people safe.

Speaking about the aims of the programme, Cindy Butts said:

“We want to hear what young Londoners think about how we are dealing with this issue – we will only be successful if we all work together.

“Youth crime is a problem for the whole of society, decimating lives, bereaving families and blighting our communities’ safety and wellbeing. We are extremely concerned about the number of young people in London affected by serious violence, particularly knife crime. The MPA with the Met, working with the mayor of London, are determined to tackle these horrific crimes.

“The MPA’s youth scrutiny, published at the end of May, focused on the causes, effects and impacts of young people’s involvement in crime as victims, witnesses and perpetrators and how this influences their interactions with the Met. We believe that by working closely with young people they will gain more trust in the police. This is the key to reducing the numbers of young people both as victims as well as perpetrators of crime.

“The police cannot tackle this issue alone. There must be collaborative work between police, stakeholders and other agencies across society to help bring positive benefits to communities and divert our young people away from involvement in crime.”

Commander Rod Jarman of the MPS added:

‘The MPS wants to work and engage with young people to make them safer, and make them feel safer.

‘Violent crime affects a very small number of people, but has an enormous impact on victims, their families, and the families of those involved as the perpetrators.

‘We would like to talk to young people in London to understand how we can work together to tackle the violence’.

Notes to Editors

1. Choice FM Richard Blackwood show is broadcast on Sundays between 12.00 and 3.00pm

2.The MPA Youth Scrutiny report can be found at:
www.mpa.gov.uk/downloads/issues/youth/youth-scrutiny.pdf

3. The MPA stop and search conference ‘Stop right now, thank you very much’ will be held on Saturday 21 May 2008 at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel, 18 Albert Embankment SE1 7TJ.

Further media information

For further information, please contact the MPA press office

Young people and the Commissioner - face to face at the MPA

Celia Prentice on 31 March 2008 at 15:16

Tags: 2008, commissioner, london, mpa, mps, news, press release, press releases, scrutiny, youth,

15/08
31 March 2008

Young people from all over London gathered to put their questions to the Commissioner at a meeting held by the MPA on 27 March 2008, and to share their experiences of policing in the capital.

The event was the culmination of a series of consultative activities organised by the MPA with young people over the past six months as part of the MPA youth scrutiny.

Richard Sumray, MPA member and youth scrutiny chair said:

“This was a great opportunity for young Londoners to put their views about policing in our capital directly to the Commissioner. Many adult practitioners, professionals and commentators are currently airing their views on why young people become victims or perpetrators of crime but we rarely hear the views of young people themselves.

“The information gathered through these events will be published in a report, which will be going to the Authority meeting on 29 May. The MPA will then continue its work on the youth scrutiny by making sure its recommendations are implemented by the Met in their youth strategy and on the ground in day-to-day policing.”

The Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said:

“This kind of meeting is very important – it enables us as police officers to hear first hand what London’s young people expect and need from us.

”Building positive relationships with all our communities, especially young people, is integral to successful policing in London and this was a major step in the right direction. Young people are an asset to London and it is clear that this event was well attended by police officers so they could listen to and learn from what the audience was telling us.”

Issues discussed by the group included how to stop young people getting involved in gangs, how younger people are forced into drug dealing by others, and the lack of adequate youth provision.

Further media information

For further information, please contact the MPA press office 

"Tell it like it is" - MPA seeks young people's views on policing in London

Celia Prentice on 25 January 2008 at 12:14

Tags: crime, london, mpa, police, scrutiny, survey, young people, youth,

02/08
23 January 2008

The Metropolitan Police Authority wants to hear directly from young Londoners about their experiences of policing. The results of the MPA Youth Survey (www.mpa.gov.uk/issues/youth/survey.htm)  will help the Authority to make recommendations that will improve the service the Met provides to young people.

Launching the MPA Youth Survey, which asks young Londoners to share the experiences they and their friends have had of policing in the capital, MPA member Richard Sumray said:

"The MPA is carrying out a detailed scrutiny to explore the causes, effects and impacts of young people's involvement in crime as victims, witnesses and perpetrators, and how this influences their interactions and relationships with the MPS.

"An important aspect of our scrutiny is our willingness to hear directly from young people - in their own words - about the problems they face and what they believe would make a real difference. What do young people think would help improve the services both the police and partner agencies offer them?

"Many adult practitioners, professionals and commentators are currently airing their views on why young people become victims or perpetrators of crime.

"But we rarely hear the views of young people themselves. That's why we're talking directly to young people in focus groups and making our survey widely available to enable many more to participate. It's anonymous, can be completed online, and will help make a positive change."

The MPA hopes, through listening to London's young people, to:

• identify ways to reduce young people's involvement in crime as victims, witnesses and perpetrators
• improve the confidence of young people to report crime and engage with the police as witnesses
• halt the decline in age of young victims and perpetrators of crime
• address the criminalisation of young people in public discourse
• improve MPS strategy, policy and corporacy with regard to young people
• analyse how the MPS uses resources in this area; and
• improve the MPS's involvement in partnership work with young people.

It is important that young people themselves have a voice in this debate.

Notes to editors

The MPA Youth Survey is being circulated to youth groups in hard copy and is also available for young people to complete online at: www.mpa.gov.uk/issues/youth/survey.htm

Further information about the MPA Youth Scrutiny is available at:
www.mpa.gov.uk/issues/youth

Further media information

For further information, please contact the MPA press office