| |
Axel John Landin |
It’s criminal to neglect the needs of youth we should be proud of
Axel John Landin says lots of good work is taking place to steer young people away from a life of crime – but there’s still much to be done
IT was inspiring to see young people such as Zakariya Mohamed, Heath Lowndes and Harley Morlet speaking out against youth crime in last week’s New Journal.
Young people aged 16-24 are more likely to fall victim to crime than any other age group and the Youth Council knows that crime is the number one concern among young people throughout the borough.
It is encouraging that over the past year, robberies in Camden have fallen by 14 per cent. This is a result of initiatives such as increased police patrols in crime hotspots, and Immobilise.com which allows young people to register valuables on a national database, which are returned to owners if found on offenders.
In policing, Camden has led the way by establishing one of London’s first Youth Engagement Teams to target known troublespots and deal with gang-related incidents, and Ken Livingstone’s Safer Neighbourhoods teams, bringing officers back on to the beat, have done no end of good.
However, I think Tony Blair was right when he said “tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime”. Punitive measures alone are not enough: we need to provide incentives for young people to steer clear of the world of crime.
As Councillor Javed Miah, the Youth Council’s new crime prevention minister put it: “Youth clubs work. They just need more funding.”
Of course that’s easier said than done. Camden’s youth service has an annual budget of £450,000 but receives funding applications for double that.
Young people have expressed concern about the future of youth organisations such as Highgate’s Fresh and the Castlehaven Community Centre, and that is why we at the Youth Council will be closely scrutinising the distribution of youth service funds, and supporting those projects that are most valuable to young people.
Camden has a good track record in tackling the underlying causes of why young people turn to crime.
Young people considered at risk of offending are referred to the youth inclusion panels, who work closely with their families to deter them from the slippery slope. Prolific offenders are referred to the more intense Prevent and Deter scheme.
In schools, there is also a lot of good work going on. Schemes such as Prison? Me? No-Way! show young people the harsh realities of a life of crime. Almost every school has a dedicated police officer who works with young people to reduce crime and tackle anti-social behaviour.
In my view, naming and shaming young offenders is not the answer. Once branded as criminals, rehabilitation would be impossible.
Neither do I agree with such preventive measures as the high-pitch “dispersal devices”, which brand every young person a criminal in that they subject under-25s to a public nuisance, regardless of whether they are being anti-social, or simply going about their daily lives like any good citizen.
We do not have any of these devices yet in Camden, and I aim to have them banned here by the end of the year.
Although the council administration may not be a microcosm of Camden’s society, the Youth Council is demographically representative and refreshingly diverse. We are made up of people from all backgrounds, and I believe we are a voice that can take the lead in dealing with a situation that affects us all.
I am setting up a young people’s crime committee, which will bring together young people from across the borough with youth councillors as well as local police, in a joint effort to think of constructive solutions to the problem.
If you’re a victim of crime, report it. Very often a prompt response by local police means muggers are apprehended.
Camden is a culture-rich hub at the centre of the greatest city in the world. We have so many talented and skilful young people, and they need to feel included, represented and engaged in what is their community as much as that of anyone else.
We must all work together to tackle what has been a blight on our young community for too long, and to reinforce our vision for Camden.
|
 |
|
| |
