Seen and Heard – Young People, Policing and Crime: An MPA Report People, Policing and Crime: An MPA Seen and Heard – Young Seen and Heard – Young People, Policing and Crime: An MPA Report Seen and Heard: An MPA Report 1 Contents Foreword 2 Introduction 3 Executive Summary 4 Recommendations 6 Chapter 1: Young people as citizens 12 Chapter 2: Young people as victims and witnesses of crime 16 Chapter 3: Young people as perpetrators of crime 36 Chapter 4: Young people and the police 55 Chapter 5: The role of non-police agencies in crime prevention 68 Chapter 6: Young people and the media 88 Appendix 1: Methodology 93 Appendix 2: Adult stakeholder questionnaire 97 Appendix 3: Youth survey 99 Appendix 4: References 104 Appendix 5: Bibliography 105 Appendix 6: Glossary of acronyms 110 Appendix 7: List of participants 111 Appendix 8: Seen and Heard – Young People, Policing and Crime: An MPA Report (youth version) 115 2 Seen and Heard: An MPA Report Foreword Much has been written in recent years about increasing violence among our young people and the fear this has evoked in adults. The aim of the Youth Scrutiny was to build a fuller and more comprehensive picture of youth crime. The vast majority of young people are neither violent nor criminals. Some are victims and often the voice of victims is lost. We wanted to understand better what drives some young people into criminality. We wanted to hear from young people about their views as citizens, as victims and as perpetrators of crime and much of this scrutiny has been geared to giving them a voice. Understanding the multiplicity of views of our young people, can, we believe lead to better policing. The Youth Scrutiny has also heard from those involved in working with young people in a variety of roles, from youth workers to those responsible for policing young people, from policy makers to researchers. We have been impressed by how much good work is being carried out and developed by the Metropolitan Police Service, sometimes beyond what many would consider the traditional remit of the police. We hope that this scrutiny, carried out with the support and involvement of the Metropolitan Police Service, will lead to further improvements. We recognise that the police cannot do everything and many organisations need to be involved and take on leadership roles. Above all, we want to see young people themselves becoming more involved in shaping policing. One of the challenges that we face is increasing young people’s confidence in service providers and in particular, the police. Throughout the Youth Scrutiny we heard of young people’s positive experiences with police officers, but we also heard of the long-term impact of negative encounters. It is clear that, although progress is being made, there is still room for improvement. We would like to thank, on behalf of the Metropolitan Police Authority, Camila Batmanghelidjh from Kids Company and Susannah Hancock supported by David Harvey and Paul Levy from the Youth Justice Board for informing the development of the Youth Scrutiny. We also thank the many MPS officers who contributed to and supported this work. In particular we owe a special thanks to MPA staff involved, especially Hamera Asfa Davey and Andy Hull overseen by Siobhan Coldwell who have worked tirelessly. We also wish to thank all the adults and young people that took part in the process. Finally, a special mention must be given to the 26 young people from the MPA Youth Scrutiny Reference Group whose contributions over the past six months, whilst challenging, were invaluable. The MPA will continue the work begun with the Youth Scrutiny by ensuring that further opportunities are given to London’s young people to inform the Authority’s work and by actively pursuing and monitoring the implementation of the report’s recommendations. May 2008 Cindy Butts Richard Sumray John Roberts Seen and Heard: An MPA Report 3 Introduction This report is based on the findings of a six-month programme of community engagement with Londoners, which was devised and delivered by the MPA in 2007 – 08. It contains an analysis of these findings and recommendations for the MPS and other bodies. In taking forward the Youth Scrutiny the MPA proceeded according to community engagement principles. Until now adult commentators have dominated the youth crime debate, and, in order to redress this imbalance, it was imperative that consultation was targeted towards hearing from young people directly. To ensure that young people had an opportunity to inform the direction of the Youth Scrutiny, a reference group made up of young Londoners was assembled. In considering youth crime, the representation of young people in the media and the resulting negative public perceptions of young people cannot be overlooked. This negative portrayal demeans Londoners, young and old alike. One of the aims of the Youth Scrutiny was to explore the causes and pathways to youth offending but the MPA aimed also to recognise the positive contributions made by young Londoners. Whilst the vast majority of young people are not involved in crime, the MPA has not ignored the recent increase in serious youth violence. This increase is one of the few notable changes in youth crime in the last six years. However, it is important to remember that the overall level of youth offending has remained stable over the last six years. In addressing youth violence and youth offending it is clear that some existing practices and policies have been ineffective. Stakeholders who took part in the youth scrutiny suggested that a joined-up response by statutory service providers focusing on early interventions which took into account the needs of young people and their families would have the most impact on youth crime. The principal aim of the MPA youth scrutiny is to make London a safer place for young people. In considering the recommendations, service providers, including the MPS, need to accept that a commitment to tackling youth crime has to be long term and sustained and that only by recognising the needs of young victims and young offenders can a sustained change be brought about. Whilst the Youth Scrutiny was undertaken in London and the remit of the MPA is confined to the Capital, the findings and advice offered in the report may be useful and applicable nationwide. In planning the consultation programme for the MPA Youth Scrutiny it was agreed that a multi method approach would be adopted to ensure that as many young people as possible had the opportunity to take part. Appendix 1 outlines the methodology. 4 Seen and Heard: An MPA Report Executive Summary The MPA has sought Londoners’ views on young people’s experiences as victims, witnesses and perpetrators of crime in the capital. A diverse selection of more than 1,000 young and adult Londoners took part in the various consultations. Our analysis of their views has resulted in the following findings: 1. The number of young people that 9. Young people’s fear of victimisation are involved in offending behaviour is encourages them to carry weapons out of significantly lower than the public currently self-defence. perceive it to be. 10. Individual encounters between young 2. A balanced portrayal of young people in the people and police officers have a direct press that includes their civic engagement bearing on the perceptions that young and positive activities is needed to address people have of the police service as a intergenerational tensions. whole. A single negative encounter can result in an overall negative impression of 3. As with adult Londoners, fear of crime and the entire service. personal safety is of key concern to young Londoners. 11. Individual positive relationships between young people and police officers can play 4. Young people who are disaffected and feel a crucial role in whether young people are cut off from mainstream society are more confident to seek support and advice from likely to act in a territorial and tribal way and the police. are more likely to believe that violence is a viable response to wrongs or perceived 12. Stop and Search remains a key concern for wrongs. many young people. Whilst young people may recognise the value of this police 5. Young people are extremely concerned tactic they are concerned by how it is about reporting crimes to the police. This implemented by individual officers. concern is exacerbated by how young people are treated by the police. 13. Whilst central MPS staff are clear that young people should be part of the crime- 6. Young offenders and young victims are prevention solution, young people’s often the same group of young people. In experiences at street level indicate that this order to develop appropriate interventions corporate message is not recognised or for young people at risk, this connectivity understood by all officers. needs to be taken into account. 14. Some young people are unprepared to hear 7. Young people do not consider current stories of positive encounters between the criminal justice outcomes as effective police and other young people. deterrents. 15. Partner organisations welcome the 8. The current press depiction of gangs and MPS’s dual focus on engagement and gang culture is not a true reflection of actual enforcement, recognising that a twin track gang activity in London and can hinder the approach is more likley to have sustained identification of appropriate solutions to impact on crime prevention. address this concern. Seen and Heard: An MPA Report 5 16. Concerns were expressed regarding the role of non-police statutory service providers in the realm of crime prevention. It was felt that services such as Health and Children’s Services could play a more proactive role in this arena, especially through information sharing and early intervention of young people at risk.