Strategic Ambitions for London Gangs Serious Youth Violence

Strategic Ambitions for London: Gangs & Serious Youth Violence Marie Snelling, Director IOM Programmes and Neighbourhoods, MOPAC

A little bit of history • LCRB DMG commissioned the first partnership anti-gangs strategy in 2012, which launched in 2013 with an ambition to annually refresh. There were a number of key achievements under the first strategy: • MOPAC and boroughs are sustainably funding 25 gangs projects through the London Crime Prevention Fund at a value of approximately £ 3 m per year over the next four years. • Introduction of a CPS gangs flag and dedicated borough prosecutors. • Development of a community impact statement and prison impact statement for use in the secure estate. • CAMHS and YOT pilots in south and west London – integrating mental health support into YOTS. • Girls and Gangs strategic framework published online. This aims to support partners in improving the identification of and response to girls at risk.

Refreshing the Strategy • To oversee the delivery of the strategy, a Gangs Panel was created in 2013, chaired by the DMPC. • To inform the strategy refresh, MOPAC conducted a literature Review, online survey and held consultation with partners. Approximately 320 individuals or organisations responded. • These informed the Strategic Ambitions for London: Gangs & Serious Youth Violence which was launched at an international Summit in June

Gangs in London • The Trident Matrix contains a total of 3, 495 individual gang members, of 224 known gangs. • 70% of the individuals are aged between 17 and 23 years of age • A total of 93% had a previous sanction, such as conviction, caution, warning or reprimand • 61% of gang members have been a victim of any crime. • 23% of females and 4% of males identified themselves as victims of sexual violence or exploitation within or by gangs (Office of the Children's Commissioner).

Gang activity in London has changed 2013/14 2011/12 T F A R D G A 67% 33% Inner London GA Flagged Outer London GA Flagged -33% 54% 46% Inner London GA Flagged Outer London GA Flagged

Strategic Ambitions for London: Gangs & Serious Youth Violence • To reduce the harm caused by gangs the Strategic Ambitions set out an approach that focuses on • 1. Prevention • 2. Intervention • 3. Enforcement Underpinned by: • Leadership and Coordination • Performance and Governance

Next steps – Delivering the Strategic Ambitions & Measuring Success • Since June, progress has been made in several key delivery strands including • Securing £ 600, 000 for specialist youth support in London's four Major Trauma Centres. • £ 460, 000 for mental health and safeguarding training provided to 8, 000 professionals across London – including teachers, youth workers, police officers and health staff – so they can spot the signs of mental illness and emotional trauma among both gang members and vulnerable victims. • London First and MOPAC businesses event – 11 th September