Mayor’s Police and Crime Plan consultation

I would like to see more targeted educational and supportive parenting resources , or package of support for parents of at risk children/ young people  who are at high risk of getting involved in   youth crime/ violence. Parents need support to do this work, but can not do it without the resources!

London’s collaborative, public health approach to preventing violence is definitely a step in the right direction. Recognizing that violence is not just a policing issue but a societal one allows for more comprehensive solutions. Addressing root causes—such as poverty, lack of opportunities, and adverse childhood experiences—can help prevent violence before it happens, rather than simply reacting to crime after the fact.
However, there are areas where London could strengthen its approach:
• More Investment in Youth Services & Education – Cuts to youth services have left many young people without safe spaces or positive role models. Expanding mentoring programs, after-school activities, and vocational training can divert young people away from crime.
• Better Support for Families – Many young people involved in violence come from difficult home environments. More accessible family support services, parenting programs, and early intervention for at-risk children could help prevent cycles of violence.
• Stronger Community Policing & Trust-Building – While enforcement remains necessary, relationships between communities and the police must improve. Increasing community officers who work closely with residents and ensuring fair, unbiased policing could rebuild trust and encourage cooperation.
• Economic Opportunities – Tackling poverty through job creation, apprenticeships, and skills training—especially in disadvantaged areas—can reduce the lure of crime. Businesses should be encouraged to hire young people from at-risk backgrounds and provide mentoring.
What Can Londoners,do?
• Look Out for Each Other – Neighbours, families, and schools should work together to identify and support young people who may be vulnerable to crime. Reporting concerns early can make a difference.
• Engage Young People in Positive Activities – Sports, arts, and mentoring programs can provide young people with purpose and community, steering them away from violence.
'The devil finds work for idle hands.'

This seems the right approach but Londoners need to see quicker, positive, and clear outcomes - and these aren't always obvious.   A very complex area.  We need some very practical steps - all cost £ - along the lines of ..... more youth hubs with appropriate role models; more community - visible - on the beat - embedded policing; a justice system that works more quickly, with agencies empowered to act flexibly and provide ongoing support to both victims and perpetrators.

We neeed the mayor to stop closing down youth clubs. There needs more activities that are affordable for youths to attend especially for those who are not in full time education or working. We need more apprenticeships and community activities to support vulnerable families London wide. We need to end poverty and the need for both parents to be out working. 

Bullying in schools need to end and more needs to be to stop the sale of knives to children whether that’s on the internet or shops. Shops should be fined if they’re found to sale these knives and machetes to youths 

 London collaborative approach is promising, especially recognizing that violence is complex and linked to factors like poverty and early-life experiences. However, more attention needs to be given to supporting victims  families and communities affected by trauma.

2.  I  like to see more long-term investment in education, job opportunities, and mental health services to tackle the root causes of violence.

3. Londoners and communities can support initiatives that promote safe spaces, positive role models, and open dialogues about violence prevention.

We could save money and do away with MOPAC and spend the money on Officers on the ground. MOPAC have had their chance to show their usefulness and have failed.

We have the Mayors Police and Crime Committee that connect with Borough Safer Neighbourhood Committees that connect to Ward Panel Meetings that connect to Neighbourhood Watch Groups.  MOPAC do not really contribute anything apart from spending money that could be used more productively in stopping crime

Also BCU's are a failure and a really bad idea and we should go back to Borough's 

better software

data collection and information collection automated with descriptions generated by ai

Most of the issues are with long waiting times in the courts, doesn’t matter how many people the police arrest if processing takes too long, causing victims to lose faith in the justice system. A right to a fair, but also speedy trial is necessary, reforming the police force (while important), right now is just tinkering with the edges as that is not where the bottlenecks are. 

A focus on court backlogs and prison spaces is necessary, if criminals fear not only being caught but also actually being prosecuted and imprisoned, you will prevent potential crimes from happening.

Ban children and young teenagers from social media access. So that they have to do other things, interact with each other. So they are not immersed in the all-pervasive nastiness on social media. Put much more money and resources into literacy and reading, as reading a lot leads to more undestanding of other people, increases empathy in society. Ban that dire algorithm that is running reading comprehension for secondary schools, so that children are not put off reading. Even though it means teachers have to do a bit more work with the pupils.

A different approach needs to be taken to the increasing number of blatant shop lifting incidents where shop staff do not intervene because of the fear of being attacked and possibly stabbed, and the police don’t attend or investigate. This is encouraging more people into criminal behaviour whether through desperation or greed.

End the war on cannabis - it’s a needless drain on police resources.

VRU, MOPAC and other stakeholders need to collaborate directly with trench rooted organisations such as Project Lifeline, to build a collaborative task force that is aimed to target and identify the intrenched underlined issues and perpetrators that have a impact on Serious Youth Violence. Too often the organisations that work in this field do not go as intrenched as Project Lifeline, therefore cannot identify the root causes that may differ accross boroughs. The model of Project Lifeline is built on Life lived Experience which give us access to the areas where deep underlined issues are accross boroughs. Only with this approach can we really identify the above with targeting intervention approach to both victims and perpetrators and their issues brought to light: 

The whole business of having a "woke" police force has done nothing but to empower criminals, police officers left scared to search anyone of colour in fear of facing a social media court. The mayor needs to stop acting in his own political interest and actually support the police, and in turn support the public. 

I've been a victim of crime where I was attacked at a cash point, my partner was a victim of crime where she had her phone stolen. both times, the police just closed the case within 5 minutes of taking our details. This has gotten beyond a joke, we need more resources to tackle crime, we need tougher sentences to act as a deterrent, we can't keep going with giving criminals just a slap on the wrist. We are scared in our own home and we don't know what to do. I don't feel like the mayor is listening at all, and this small change in tactic is not enough to prevent crime.  

As poverty, deprivation and homelessness is acknowledged as key drivers of violent crime why aren’t the practices that drive the community into poverty and homelessness crimes? The victims, those experiencing poverty and homelessness are often criminalised but the perpetrators never are.

The criminal justice system needs to get tough on crime convictions and support the police so that victims are not told that nothing can be done. These criminals can do whatever they want because they know nothing will happen, this needs to change as soon as possible.Stop violence among the youth and have increased police presence on the streets,in public spaces and public transport. Also being on high alert regarding extreme terrorism,this is a threat, to stop tragedies happening. 

It’s positive that the approach is changing.

It is more important though making sure, creating the conditions, for the police to present a tough opposition to organised crime.

Most crimes like theft and knife crime are most generally drug trafficking related. 

The police must discourage crimes with hefty punishments, but at the same time I’m not entirely confident this will change anything, considering the amount of drug money flowing through constructions and investments in London.

The government response will always delay

Whoever came up with the idea of taking a “Public health approach to violence” needs to have their bumps felt. Look to police forces like GMP which still views crime as a ‘criminal,’ rather than ‘health’ issue; they are restoring public trust in the police by policing and not blaming the crime problem on inequality and poverty.