Gangs

"Dying to Belong: An In-Depth Review of Street Gangs in Britain" | 12 February 2009

A 228-page report which analyses the true nature and scale of gang culture in Britain. It looks at who is involved and what they are involved in; how Britain has reached this point; and what society can do to tackle it. Highlighting and learning from models of best practice in both the UK and America Dying to Belong sets out a blueprint for tackling Britain’s growing gang problem. It covers:

• The immediate response to prevent violence and break up gangs
• Medium-term proposals for building trust and positive relations between the police and young people
• A long-term approach to prevent future generations of young people from becoming gang-involved

Click here to read the "Dying to Belong: An In-Depth Review of Street Gangs in Britain" report
Click here to read the Executive Summary

"Dying to Belong is the most comprehensive and balanced account of the origins and nature of violent youth gangs in the UK available today. Not only does it offer an incisive analysis of the problem, it also gives a measured assessment of the impact of international initiatives to combat the gang problem. Unlike other publications in this field, Dying to Belong thinks through the policy implications of its analysis and formulates them into a bold strategy. Dying to Belong is a key point of reference for any politician or opinion former who claims to take the violent youth gang problem in the UK seriously."

Introduction

Over the past decade British society has seen an increase in gang culture and its associated violence. Our understanding of gang culture, however, has not kept pace. Research on gangs in Britain has, at best, been patchy. This is perhaps unsurprising given the lack of even a standardised, universally applied definition. Dying to Belong therefore seeks first to provide a thorough analysis of the problem. By collating academic research and the insight of over 150 organisations and individuals, the report identifies key trends, drivers and common characteristics. Firstly, the composition and nature of gang culture has shifted: gang members are getting younger; geographical territory is transcending drug territory as the key organising unit; and violence is increasingly important as an articulation of status, making it is increasingly chaotic. Secondly, gangs are mostly commonly found in urban areas of high deprivation, crime and violence, high unemployment and high family breakdown. Thirdly, gang members are predominantly male, in their teens or early twenties, from fatherless families and have had a negative experience of school, often having been excluded. Having identified the what and why, the report then sets out a blueprint for tackling gangs. The policy proposals, based on best practices models from the UK and abroad, are divided into three sections (1) the immediate response, (2) medium-term action and (3) long-term reform. Only by implementing the full range of policies will success be sustainable.

· There are around 170 street gangs in both London and Strathclyde.[i]

· Around 60% of shootings in Manchester and Merseyside are gang-related.[ii]

· Gang members are 2½ times more likely to commit a violent offence than non-members.[iii]

Leon, 20, grew up on the Aston Estate, Roehampton. It is a huge sprawling estate in South West London lined with tower blocks and, according to Leon and his friends, is rife with drugs. At age nine Leon’s father died and this was when his ‘whole life changed’. He internalised his feelings and they came out as anger. This was further compounded by his learning difficulties. He explains of his dyslexia: “I couldn’t express myself so [I] got angry with the teacher.” Other than a few extra minutes to complete tests, no additional support was provided. In his GCSE year he was excluded from school.

He describes his family life as ‘hard’, and was kicked out of home aged 16. He moved in with a friend, and got involved in street life. His ‘close’ group of friends developed into a gang – S.U.K. The gang ‘provided the family’ he didn’t have at home. They fought other areas, “wanting to get their name out there”, and committed street robberies and sold drugs for money. They wanted ‘respect’. He has been stabbed twice, once in the face when being robbed whilst selling drugs and once when a fight broke out because he and friends were in another gang’s territory. The second stabbing was in the leg, narrowly missing an artery. His friends left him bleeding on the street.

Aged 17 he was arrested for his involvement in a fight during which a stabbing occurred, and spent three months in a Young Offenders Institution before spending 10 months tagged on an Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme (ISSP). Knowing he wanted to get out of the gang life he took advantage of the opportunities afforded him on the ISSP and is now in paid work and volunteers to help at a local youth project. [iv]

Immediate response

1. The universal application of a standardised definition of a gang.

2. Undertake national audit of the problem, identifying key gang-impacted areas, designating them Gang Prevention Zones (GPZ) and conducting full needs assessment in these areas.

3. Rolling out Boston model (as per Strathclyde / Matrix) to all police forces with Gang Prevention Zones within remit.

4. Ensuring all local authorities with GPZs implement the new multi-agency structure and recognise tackling gangs as a part of their safeguarding duties.

Medium-term action

5. Safer Schools Partnership Officers in all secondary schools, sixth form colleges and FE colleges in Gang Prevention Zones.

6. Ensuring police training includes meaningful interaction with young people from deprived areas, facilitated by local third sector organizations.

7. Resourcing Voluntary Police Cadet Programmes in Gang Prevention Zones.

Long-term investment

8. Establishment of family hubs in heart of Gang Prevention Zones, with emphasis on early intervention.

9. Full and appropriate resourcing of third sector youth organisations in Gang Prevention Zones – these should be grassroots charities which change mindsets and equip young people as well as providing positive activities, particular focus should be on gang exit programmes and early intervention programmes.

10. Commissioning of welfare-to-work agencies in Gang Prevention Zones with specific experience and expertise in working with young people and NEETs.

11. Commissioning alternatives to Pupil Referral Units and providing funds for schools to establish on-site units for pupils on fixed-term exclusions.

Young Disciples is an innovative grass roots charity working in the heart of Birmingham’s most deprived communities. Marc Edwards founded the charity eight years ago after watching his friend die as the result of a shooting. After looking at what was on offer to young people in the area he realised that the ones involved in gang culture, living at the margins of society, were not attending youth clubs or engaging in mainstream activities. Engagement would have to go to them.

Young Disciples now works with hundreds of young people through both on site and outreach work.

Young Disciples uses football, chess, music, schools, with a music studio and IT suite teach young people. All programmes are aimed at challenging perceptions and changing mindsets. Marc Edwards told the Working Group: ‘If we’re going to get young people in to just play, there’s no benefit…My ethos is to engage young people, but to move them from the point which they’re at. Change their mindset. Challenge their behaviour, their concept of life, and bring to them opportunities’. This is achieved through a mixture of skills development and therapeutic work. By addressing issues such as territorialism, anger and educational failure, Young Disciples facilitates young people’s transition from gang culture to mainstream culture, supporting them into work and education. The charity has numerous partners including schools, Youth Offending Teams and Connexions. The programme is also part of Birmingham’s Reducing Gang Violence strategy.

‘If you come from a single parent home and your mum or dad is working all hours to provide for you, then your family will become whoever’s in your area.’
YOT Worker speaking with the Working Group

“… the elders will say to the ‘young guns’ as they call them “come here, I want you do something for me.” And those young people don’t have a choice. They don’t have a choice because they know what the consequence of saying “no” to that elder is.”
Melvyn Davis, Founder and director of The Male Development Service, BoyztoMEN

CHAIRMAN

Simon Antrobus
Simon has over 20 years experience in the voluntary and community sector. He has held senior positions in a number of national voluntary organisations, including Scope, the Parkinson’s Disease Society and currently as Chief Executive of Clubs for Young People. Simon has served as acting Chairman of the National Council of Voluntary Youth Services and is currently its Vice-Chairman. 

WORKING GROUP