In this assignment it will define what is meant by the term youth at this present time. The assignment will give examples of youth crime. In the assignment it will talk about why youths may feel the need to get involved in youth crime and the possibilities of how they get into gangs. This assignment will include who is more likely to be a victim of crime, what parts of Britain youth crime is high and why youths do not want to co-operate with the police. The assignment will discuss what the government's current responses to youth crime are and what they are trying to do in order to prevent younger youths committing crime.
The government has now recognised that youth crime today in Britain is a concern in communities. Youth crime at this present time has been defined as a violent crime against children under the age of 18.The violent crimes that youths commit involves the following: - Murder; Attempted Murder; Rape; Common Assault, Assault GBH; and Indecent Assault.
Youths commit crimes for various reasons youths may commit crimes because they truant when they are suppose to be at school, under the care of teachers. Some youths may not want to truant school but because of peer pressure they choose do so. Youths will look for anything else to do other than attending school, this maybe at the local park hanging about with a local gang and being pressured into becoming a gang member.
Not attending school leads to a lack of education which makes it harder to keep up with their work, so the youth may then get frustrated and decide not to go to school at all. The youth will then become a full time gang member which involves violent crimes such as murder which is a violent crime.
Some youths get involved in crime because of their family relationships at home.The youths may not feel that they get as much love, support and respect from their homes. Youths feel they get more love on the streets from other gang members. When a youth commits a serious crime they get respect from their other gang members.
Youths who commit crimes may also have family members who commit crimes and they see that they are well known in the local community, they also want to be well known. Youths need to understand that crime is not the way to get respect or to be noticed. Youths may also be taking drugs and/ or alcohol this influences their behavior on the streets, this also gives the older youths a chance to take advantage of the younger youths, The younger youths may feel pressured to commit a crime or they may want to impress others and commit a crime with out knowing what the consequences maybe.
"John Lea and Jock Young argued that the explanation as to why youths commit crimes is rooted in social conditions, they argue that crime is closely connected to deprivation, they disagree with the views that says youth crime occurs because the youths are in poverty or in unemployment, Lean and young arguer that the rising crime is partly the result of rising the expectations for height standards of living combined with restricted opportunities to achieve this success because of unemployment."
(Holborn M & Haralambos M, 2007, P 346)
There is a very small chance of being a victim of violent crime in the UK; it is only particular groups of youths that are most likely to be at high risk of being a victim of a violent crime. The youths who are more likely to be targeted are those whom may be poor or deprived themselves. It is known that it is deprived youths who are committing the crimes it is also deprived youths who are the victims of violent crimes. If you are rich you are less likely to be a victim of crime in the UK. Crime today is a serious problem, women do not feel safe to walk on the streets, women are now less likely to go out after dark because they are afraid of the youths who are on the streets women not tend to stay in because they fear of crime.
The most violent crimes are happen in London which is affecting the community in other parts of the UK, most violent crimes occur in the deprived parts of London such as, Brixton, Fulham, Hammersmith, Hackney etc. Youths around the UK are being influenced on what they maybe seeing on T.V the news or in news papers. Youths are crying out for help but in the wrong way youths need to be supported in any way that maybe necessary, such as in the family home, dealing with family matters, needing help with attending school, or getting back into a school, needing support on how to apply for a job, counselling, drug abuse, domestic violence or peer pressure. The youths do not know how to control their frustration because no one wants to give them a chance; youth have been perceived by the media as thugs who the community dislike very much, youths are taking matters into their own hands.
Lean and Young argue that "if a group of youths share a sense of relative deprivation, they will develop lifestyles which allows youths to cope with their problems"
(Holborn M & Haralambos M, 2007, P 346)
Youths do not know that professional support is out there for them because it is not advertised as it should be to the youths in the communities, the youths continue on committing crimes with out know what the consequences are because this is the lifestyle they have adapted to youths think there is no way out of deprived life style.
Youth today are being targeted by police, whether they have committed a crime or not, because this is now a part of a police job role, to stop search youths on the streets who they think is suspicious. Police take advantage of this and stop search youths because they have authority to do so, because of this, this causes conflict between the youths and the community, the trust then brakes down between the police and the community, this then makes it harder for the police to investigate when a crime may have occurred in a community.
John Lea and Jock Young would argue that "The key to police success lies in improving relationships with the community so that the flow of information on which the police rely on increases" this would make investigations of someone who may have been murdered less complicated and easier to catch the person who committed the crime
To prevent violent crimes happening in the UK the government has made a response to tackle alcohol consumption and peer pressure, the government is going to make sure the police use all their powers they have to maximum effect; this includes challenging underage drinking in Britain. The government wants young people who are involved in crime and anti- social behaviour to come together and work with youth workers and ex gang member to stop the negative influences from their peers.
The government will be using existing child protection legislation to make sure young people on the street at night are taken to a safe place. The government will now allow Youth Offending Team workers to work along side police stations in order to make it a better community to live in. the government has also Increase after school police patrols, and approaching those whom may look like they may offend.
Young 1992 would suggest that "improving leisure facilities for the youths, reducing income inequalities , raising the living standards of poorer families, reducing unemployment and creating jobs with prospects, improving housing estates and providing community facilities which enhance a sense of cohesion and belonging" will all help to reduce youths from committing crimes in the UK.
The government actions have been successful in tackling youth crime in Britain to create opportunities for young people. According to the home office.gov.uk there are now 10,000 less young people entered on the criminal justice system, this is the first time since 2007-08.
