Street Crime
Who Does What
The purpose of the Street Crime Action Group was to identify and support the implementation of actions which all the various agencies can take to tackle the problem of street crime, working together to bring about both an immediate and a sustainable long-term reduction.
The group included: the Prime Minister, the Home Secretary, the Lord Chancellor, the Attorney General, the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, the Secretary of State for Health, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Chief Secretary, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, the President of ACPO, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary, the Chair of the Youth Justice Board, the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit, the Local Government Association and the Association of Police Authorities.
Examples of the work of the Street Action Group
Positive Activities for Young People
The summer of 2002 saw the largest ever range of activities run for young people and over 91,000 participated. However, the provision was not particularly coherent, comprising a range of programmes funded variously by the DfES, DCMS, Lottery, Home Office, Youth Justice Board and Children's Fund. This caused confusion on the ground and made it difficult for providers to know where to get funding from.
The main Departments combined their activities and established a joint programme of activities with shared goals and funded to providers through a single source. The programme will now run in all school holiday periods (not just over the summer period). There is particular targeting of the young people in each area most at risk of falling into criminality. Increased provision for Key Workers will ensure that they are properly supported through the programs and back into education or further training at the end of the holiday periods.
The aim of the programme was to provide young people at risk with the support, guidance and opportunity to undertake positive activities they need to avoid offending and to fulfil their true potential in education, training or employment.
The objectives of the programme were to:
- Reduce crime and anti-social behaviour both in the short term and long term
- Support young people and young people back into education or training and help them stay there, by working with those at risk of truancy
- Ensure that young people are supported as they move from primary to secondary school
- Provide access to quality arts, sports and cultural activities, and allow those with an interest and/or talent in any area to continue after the programme has ended
- Bring together young people from different geographical and ethnic communities to help break down prejudice and misunderstanding
- Give young people opportunities for personal development including the development of self-discipline, self-respect and self-confidence enabling them to communicate more effectively with a range of people and work effectively in a team
- Encourage young people to contribute to their communities through volunteering and active citizenship.
Behaviour Improvement Plan
In 2002 the then Department for Education and Skills allocated £50 million to the 34 local education authorities with the highest combined levels of truancy and crime in the street crime areas.
Police in School
Also in 2002 through the School Police Protocol, 100 police officers have been placed in schools in the ten areas. They worked with the schools to reduce truancy and exclusions, and reduce victimisation, criminality and anti-social behaviour within and around the school. The police worked with the schools to conduct truancy sweeps. This is something that was subsumed into the work of Safer Schools Partnerships and by dedicated Safer Schools Officers.
Street crime offenders with drug problems are offered a refferal to drug treatment services within 24 hours of their arrest or release from custody.
Last update: Monday, November 03, 2008