Drop in young people on London gang violence database
Fiona Simpson
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
The proportion of young people recognised by the Metropolitan Police’s gang violence matrix is at its lowest since the database was set up, the Mayor of London has said.
Sadiq Khan revealed an overhaul of the database which was set up following the 2011 riots to identify those believed to be involved in gang violence as well as those at risk of victimisation.
The proportion of under-18s on the matrix has decreased from 14 per cent in 2018 to 6 per cent in 2019.
There has also been a reduction in the proportion of under-25s from 72 per cent in 2018 to 64 per cent in 2019.
The overhaul comes following a review of the database by City Hall amid concerns over a lack of transparency in the way people are added and removed from the matrix and worries over how securely data was stored.
It also highlighted concerns around a disproportionate number of black boys and young men on the matrix.
This has resulted in a change in the proportion of new additions to the matrix from a BAME background, Khan said.
Between May 2018 and October last year, there were 339 new additions to the Matrix and figures show a reduction in the proportion of people of a Black African Caribbean background being added to the database.
Those added to the Matrix from a BAME background has decreased from 89 per cent in 2018 to 79 per cent in 2019.
The overall number of people of a Black African Caribbean background added to the database dropped from 82.8 per cent in 2018 to 66 per cent the following year.
The mayor has recently announced £55.5m worth of investment during 2020/21 to prevent violent crime, with a strong emphasis on boosting youth provision across the capital.
This includes a £6m investment in the London Gang Exit Service, which was launched in 2016.
From October 2017, the programme has accepted 376 referrals and helped 129 people exit the exploitation of criminal gangs, the mayor said.
The investment also includes a three-year programme to better understand, target and respond to county lines drugs dealing. The Rescue and Response programme saw 568 vulnerable young people referred in its first year.
Khan said: “Keeping Londoners safe is my top priority. I’m committed to doing everything within my power to tackle the issue of violent crime, including investing more than £100m in this year’s City Hall budget to tackle violent crime and its complex causes, as well as investing £6m to help young people at risk of harm or exploitation from criminal gangs to turn their lives around.”
