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Reducing violent crime
Together with the Met Police and specialists in health, youth services and local government, City Hall has announced plans to establish a new Violence Reduction Unit. It aims to tackle the causes of violent crime, such as poverty, mental ill-health and lack of opportunities. Alongside this, the Violent Crime Taskforce will continue its work to take knives and other weapons off the streets.
What do you think of the measures above? Do you think that it is important to bring together different services and involve communities when designing solutions to tackle violent crime? What can Londoners, families and communities do to help prevent violence?
Share your thoughts in the discussion below.
118 Comments
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They don't fear consequences for their actions as they know they're unlikely to be caught, and if they're under 18 all they seem to get is a slap on the wrist. It starts with low level crime like vandalism and noise, the police aren't interested so they push it further and further. We constantly report antisocial behaviour and gangs of youths congregating in our road particularly at night, but nothing is ever done, all I've ever had was a follow up call several days later asking if I have the registration of any of the cars involved.Poverty, mental health and lack of opportunity are excuses - the vast majority of people with these issues are not involved in crime
Violent crime in London is committed by males in the majority of cases. Male violence is an epidemic that does not just root in poverty and lack of opportunities. Hard punishments and education from early school age would be required to reduce violent crime in my opinion.
I feel what is being put in place is not strong enough, I feel it’s gone to far and is now a monumental challenge to combat the current Crime rates. This should of been on the table at least last year ago. I would like to see police given extra powers, and for the culprits when in court are given a penalty, which will make them think. Within the community many muggings don’t get reported or are just brushed aside due to staff shortages , and I am gonna guess lots of paperwork.
when youth - all youth - have a hopeful future crime will reduce - but as is so often the case the future looks bleak - no chance of getting a flat/ a good wage being able to afford to live a normal life - meet friends , go out to eat, go to the movies etc as a pensioner I can't afford the movies or to eat out etc I can handle it - (though its certainly not fun!) but for a teenager it must build up so much anger and frustration. not that this condones acts of violence but I can understand their feeling of "nothing to lose"
of course, youth will hang out on the street if there's nowhere to go - find other ways of making money if they can't get a job -and have a sense of hopelessness if they cant.
has anyone looked at when youth crime happens ? is it holidays and half terms - when youth are so bored that they'll be "looking for trouble " and by that I mean looking for a challenge - something / anything and it can so easily get out of hand - if you've got nothing you've got nothing to lose
schools could be doing so much more if only they were funded appropriately - car mechanics, forest school survival skills, mountain climbing, things that challenge and excite kids should be on the curriculum - the focus on academic subjects is ridiculous.
- youth are meant to be rebellious ! its part of learning - teddy boys, beatniks, hippies, punks, rockers etc every era has had rebellious youth -
that wonderful youthful energy that I remember from my youth when I really felt I had the power to change the world, has to be given back to our youth today. self-esteem and hope for the future don't come easily if you are seen as a failure with no future.
despite all this I have to say as an older retired woman often needing help with bags etc when traveling around London it is always youth who help
I agree with the sentiments expressed here. The solutions to violent crime are (not a complete list) more opportunities for meaningful employment, more affordable leisure activities, more good quality housing for everyone (more social housing - at the moment the policy seems to be to force people to move to the midlands) and a society that works for everyone, and not the few, where everyone from any background has the opportunity to achieve their dreams. Research is published regularly showing the enormous difficulties faced by the most disadvantaged when trying to improve their circumstances.And it is getting worse.
My youthful enthusiasm was completely destroyed in the 80s and the arrival of Thatcherite Neo-liberal capitalism and the depiction of its critics as the enemy within. Many of our current problems stem from the new paradigm which it heralded : there is no god but money and economists are his prophets. Poverty again was seen as this new god's judgement on those deemed to have transgressed his laws while obscene wealth was a reward for upholding them. And, of course, there was no such thing as society. I never thought when I was young that in 2018 there would be a growing need for food banks.
An inclusive society would reduce violent crime and I suspect lead to more respect and civility on our streets. In the meantime we are faced with a public emergency that requires an appropriate response, Our leaders both national and local need to stop treating the public with contempt, fobbing us off with the same claptrap they have been spouting for decades and start actually doing things to help. A first step would be to REALLY listen to the PEOPLE rather than whichever lobby group or business interest buys you a nice meal and/or holiday abroad.
EVERYONE deserves to feel secure and valued. We might reduce ( no, let's dream big) eliminate violent crime if we all remembered that.
From what I understand, VRU intends to bring all the agencies together, which makes sense. Providing more activities for young people, especially in deprived areas, is also very positive and they should be staffed by people they can relate to who have some experience of how they live. Punishment is a short-term solution resulting in a sense of resentment towards society and doesn't provide a change of attitude towards violence. I believe much violence is carried out by young people whose life experience is violence, often from caregivers. Another area not mentioned and perhaps out of your remit, is pushing for legalisation of drugs, taking it out of the hands of criminals and thus being able to control its use and reduce all the associated street crime. Finally, the constant cut in police numbers clearly exacerbates the situation on our streets.
Low level criminality is everywhere and goes entirely unchallenged. Drug dealers operate in broad daylight, outside schools. If you try to report this, on the Met online portal, it is logged as ASB. Drug dealing is not ASB- it is an offence. They drive towards you at speed if you look at them they have the upper hand.
These are the same people who commit other crimes, but they believe they are untouchable, as they seem to be.
There have been multiple murders within a half mile radius of where I live in the last few years. It's the same young men driving around like bandits, clouds of skunk smoke enveloping them. The streets belong to them.
When you try to report incidences of drug dealing on the Met website, you have to report it as ASB. I thought drug dealing was an offence? These young men operate with impunity. They are menacing, quite happy to drive at speed towards you, skunk smoke spiralling out behind them. They operate outside schools and in broad daylight.
There have been multiple murders near me in the last few years it is the same young men. The streets belong to them.
I think that all of us need to stop being bystanders and become active witnesses.
Increasing the number of police driving around on our streets does not deter most violent crime. once upon a time the public were active participants in defusing arguments and fights. school children would find somewhere away from adults prying eyes to have a ruck/fight. Now they fear no one and are choosing places of high visibility to commit violence, they even film the crime and post it for all. The worst of it is that young people use to fear adults now they fear each other.
I suggest bringing back/or creating national school activities sporting or otherwise that bring children together would be a start to reducing that fear and help develop friendships outside of one's immediate surroundings.
Mr Khan you need to curfew kids under18 without an adult after certain times & those caught the parents needs to get arrested or fined heavily & you will see a massive reduction in knife crimes trust me.
I have just heard on a news report that Mr Khan has said it might take 10 years to reduce violent crime in London. So what does he expect us to do until then? Get used to it ? Young people are dying now, Mr Khan. This year isn't over yet and 116 families have had to face the consequences of our rulers' inaction. Is there one person in county hall who feels any sense of shame over this? Perhaps they think this figure is acceptable. If so I think we should be told how high the death rate needs to rise before anyone shows any sense of urgency. Maybe it is just me but I suspect that if these deaths were happening in Sloane Square or Belgravia there would be fewer excuses and more action.
It is time for politicians of all stripes to stop treating the public with contempt, stop making promises to get elected that you then blame everyone else for not delivering. No mother should send her child off in the morning and wonder if they are going to make it home. If our rulers can't do the job then leave and we'll get someone who can.
If I sound angry it's because I can't understand why more people don't share my rage.
After having just read BBC News’ article about how violent crime in London would take ‘10 years’ to solve, I was quite frankly disgusted.
The solution to this problem is tougher sanctions. I propose a “knife = life” campaign, where if you are found carrying a knife you serve a life sentence in prison.
Extreme yes, but I don’t see any as time-effective method in resolving this increasingly problematic issue.
There is no justification for carrying a knife. Society does not need people who think that this is acceptable to carry in order to intimidate people etc.
I keep getting emails from an American company in Texas offering undetenctable knives (made of perspex) and firearms. I have no means of knowong how widespread these are. I have written to police and MPs and my internet provider asking if they can be stopped but no action is taken. I will send examples of these emails if you like. Please can this be investigated?
Hi Martin
Thanks for sharing this. We passed it on to our colleagues at the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC). If you’d like to share some examples, please send them to [email protected]
The Mayor is working with the Met Police, Trading Standards and London retailers to stop knives getting into the hands of underage Londoners. City Hall is supporting and promoting the National Business Crime Centre’s Top Ten Tips for preventing the underage sale and theft of knives to all London retailers
The Met Police is also working with the National Crime Agency (NCA) to tackle the supply of firearms.
Talk London
I am a victim of the worsed form of GBH and i say we lock these people up for life seen as they have massively effected the rest of mine.
Why are the tories allowing such inequality of wealth anyway? I am in the mental health system because of these policies.
Come on people brush up the act.
From looking at the comments there seems to be a lot of people that want to blame the Mayor. I would ask that you look into whose policy's closing down police stations were, and when they were actually sold. Also look at how you expect the police to do more and cover more areas including terrorism prevention, with less money and less resources. But we could have arguements about this all day.
I think we need to focus on other areas. At the moment there is a lot of youth crime and this has developed over a number of years and would not be a quick fix. So there seems to be two things. We need to prevent youngsters from feeling that the only way they can feel acceptance is due to being part of a gang, having a knife and trying to prove something to their peers, while also dealing with all the different types crimes that happen today. Yes, arresting more people and having harsher sentences will increase the prison population and get those people off the streets and perhaps push them deeper into a criminal lifestyle upon release. But they will just make way for the next batch of disenfranchised youths, we need to fix the root of the problem, not just the outcome. I am not an expert and have probably over simplified this, sorry about that. I would be interested in what people believe turns a person to this way of life and what recommendations you would have to encourage them to take another path.
We always have and continue to fully support the police and take part in Anti Knife/Gun Campaigns but need to see more actual engagement by the police and local authorities when bringing perpetrator to justice rather than giving them lower sentences. Communities and action groups have been tackling such crimes for many years already, self funded and often without appreciation for efforts made or acknowledgement by the government, often even stigmatized and ridiculed to the point of giving up. Task forces are not the answer. Public engagement is. Knowing the causes from a grass root level, not throwing more money on an already crumbling idea of failed attempts gets nobody nowhere. Take all the data that's been gathered over the past century, stop the think tanks and simply put common sense strategies into place and acknowledge, praise, assist and support those whom are already actively doing things which actually work within different communities rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. Listen the community leaders as well as those whom are already doing everything they can to keep things safe. Your efforts are appreciated but your heart is in the wrong place being overruled by popular opinion rather than individual facts. Put boots on the ground, talk to the people, not just online but in those areas most affected, to get a more realistic picture of what it is than what people think it to be. Work alongside each other in partnership by empowering the people to help themselves with your support and together we will make a real difference for everyone. Dare to Care. Guardian Angels UK. www.guardianangels.org
We are the police, we police our own lives, our own streets and our own families. If we want someone to clean up a mess no one can work out how to solve we call the Constabulary. If we need adjudication we call the Constabulary. If we need advice we call the Constabulary. If we want something preserved we lodge the comment, the concern, the evidence, or the unsolicited testimony. We do not want it talked about in the Lodge meeting or at the doors of your local church or on the steps of the ***** in Whitechapel. This short circuits due process and too much talk about what could hypothetically happen can conjour up what you really want to avoid.
What's done is done. What has departed has departed. If the departed are to be honoured it is with peace. The enemy is never a person. The enemy is always ignorance. Ignorance of the needs of your neighbors and neighbour hood. Ignorance of the desires and ambitions of your fellow inhabitants. Find out what gives a person pride. Find out what raises a person's self esteme. Give your neighbors band neighborhood a voice. Make sure you move out if the shadows, and say, I have given this some careful thought and at some risk I would like to state the following. It's a public statement, do not allow yourself to be interuption, keep talking over everyone until finished. It doesn't matter if you think you have not been heard. As you also have the rite to nail your comment to the door of your local Police Constabulary office, the door of your local MP . The door of your local parish church. The door of your.local council office. Careful in today's context a bradawl is a potential offence if drawn out in a public populated area! So a map pin as a nail and the heal of your shoe as a hammer. If you get complaints about the pin holes, just point out the wood worm holes they are even bigger. Then write an open letter to a trusted paper, pamphlet, tabloid, newsletter, or activist bulletin sheet. The street statement read out Infront of the police station, in front of the council office, in front of your MPs office must always be the same and unwavering and be exactly the same as what appears in print. Do not involve the press in advance, as they will intrude and try and be part of the experience. Do not give press conferences. You can always do a YouTube speech if its exactly the same street statement. You can always print & wear the tiger head. Brown/white, or pink/black or any variation of pigmentation or hand tinting of your choice, green/red, green/yellow Photocopy line drawings and crayon in colours.
It's illegal to gather in groups and floodvan area. Apparently it's intimidating. So start giving your local police station a dirty look, try giving your your local MPs office a dirty look, your local council office a dirty look. Yes I know , what about those cameras, draw a viel over the problem they are available in wedding dress shops.
The text predictions keeps pushing in in app ropriet words! Why is this?
Passive non intimidating vigels that are not static - include walking in single file, . slowly past the door of an office not too close , across the road is good, line of sight is all that matters.
People in the officrs do walk up and down inside looking out the windows.
Single line moving line vigels can be almost silent, whisper your slogan of the day, they are all deaf any way, it's a problem of comprehension (it's their problem, not you)
Then post a static photo on YouTube of your moving single file Vigel with a sound track, bring the songs up or forward and add a subtle drum beat way behind the clear audio.
Keep repost ing it as you will be misrepresented and YouTube will respond by taking you down.
Becarefull that you post the correct image and audio everytime
Disregard or disable subtitles.
Disable like and dislike.
Disable messages and tags. You do not want inappropriate messages and inappropriate links and inappropriate associations.
Who taught your text editor swear words it keeps guessing at in appropriate words. Please remove the swear words from your text prediction diftware. There you go, I press s o f t w a r e and it puts in d I f t w a r e !
23:59hrs so switch on the safely anchored lighting towers and flood light our streets with illumination. Good night and Good morning.
I would like to see community role models coming into the public arena and making statements targeted at the young kids caught up in the current cycle. Anthony Joshua for example, footballers, entertainment stars etc
Everyone needs to be on message that there is nothing cool about carrying a knife or stabbing someone. It shows weakness not strength.
I read condemnation from the Mayor against specific people and extremist politics but he ONLY seems to point in one direction while talking generally about extremism from his own community. I have zero against British Muslims, my extremism is limited to demanding a secular British Islam, which is common sense. I want to highlight groups that pose a significant risk to the British herd (including apostates and secular Muslims) that our mayor fails to identify as a significant risk:
What Islamic sects run most British mosques -
https://letstalkaboutbritain.home.blog/2018/11/23/deobandi-control-most-...
Let’s talk about Tablighi Jamaat
https://letstalkaboutbritain.home.blog/2018/12/11/lets-talk-about-tablig...
I can support all my views with very specific research in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and the UK.
- Add more police officers in high crime areas; foot patrol and quicker responses are essential;
- Refrain from blaming the gov't - that will be addressed in the next election - take proactive and innovative measure whilst you hold accountability
- Establish and publish a 'tougher' policy for CCTV footage of wrongful acts, drug possession, knife possession, antisocial behaviour, acid attacks etc - Resemble NYC / high trafficked cities where violence was reduced - tougher sanctions are necessary and need to be updated with modern times
- Knifes / mopeds / violence precede guns - enhance sentencing and rehab measures - the courts need to be involved so that precedents are set with tougher measures
- Increase accountability and repercussions - e.g., if individuals commit a crime, are repeat offenders for drugs, antisocial behavior, etc., - a) notify their employer so that they understand their linkage to continuous employment, b) threaten to remove their housing benefit and remove it if it continues, c) threaten (and/or) remove universal credit
- Sustain prevention methods however, be vigilant and as equal in addressing 'current circumstances' - e.g., petty crime, antisocial behaviour and violent acts all have linkages and gradually progress. Whilst preventative methods are encouraged, this needs to occur in tandem with tougher sentences, repercussions for offenders (incl. repeat offenders) and more modernised practices
- Visa holders (or non UK citizens) to be told their visa and/or residency permits can be removed based on any criminal acts done
- CCTV footage needs to be enhanced, in workable condition, and a unit following-up with offenders of antisocial behaviour, drugs etc.,
- More coordination and synchronised stings with local councils ; have neighbors and councils involved - the mayor alone cannot remedy this. Be innovative
We need more police and police stations to be reopened: it is appalling the state of policing at the moment. I was a victim of a violent assault, and left facing a lifetime of pain as a result, and yet the police did nothing to investigate the assailant, who continues to make my family's life a misery, knowing full well all my calls to the police are futile! The London we have now is not the London that I grew up in, and the lack of proper policing along with the closure of most of our local police stations means that the police have little control over crime in London, and I no longer feel safe living in London! We need proper policing and proper access to the police through police stations... having to make an appointment to make a statement to the police, who then dont turn up "because of understaffing" is not acceptable: the public deserve better!!!
I wish the Mayor would stop politicising the situation and using it as a desperate attempt to get a few more votes in the ballot box in next year's elections. I am sick of hearing that this is a result of cuts to police.
Police numbers aren't that different to what they were in 2016. Besides the causes of violent crime are very complex and often go back to a child's upbringing or education. I genuinely don't think a smallish cut to officer numbers suddenly gives the green light for a load of young people who were otherwise perfectly good people to go round with a knife and start stabbing each other.
The mayor should stop playing party politics with people and instead reach out to schools and target families most at risk
I also fully back stop and search. Even if police presence does have some impact there's no point in having officers around who can't stop and search those suspected of carrying a weapon. I wouldn't mind - I have nothing to hide.
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