Home Office bids to increase gang injunction use on under-18s
Neil Puffett
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
The Home Office has vowed to increase the use of controversial gang injunctions on under-18s after it emerged they have been used just twice in hotspot areas.
Gang injunctions have been available for use with 14- to 17-year-olds since January 2012 as part of a series of measures announced by Home Secretary Theresa May to deal with the fallout of the 2011 riots.
If successfully applied for in court, the injunctions can prevent those suspected of being linked to gangs from entering certain areas, or from wearing "gang colours".
But a report reviewing their use in gang hotspot areas found that they have rarely been used since they were introduced.
Data provided by 25 of the 33 Ending Gang and Youth Violence areas shows that up until January this year, a total of 88 gang injunctions had been put in place, but only two of these related to under-18s.
The report cites a lack of awareness and understanding of gang injunctions among police officers, local authority representatives, legal representatives and the judiciary, as a reason for the low-level of use.
“There was some uncertainty about the benefits of gang injunctions compared to other interventions,” the report states.
“In part this may be due to their relatively recent introduction.”
The Home Office has vowed to overcome the “early implementation issues” and increase the use of the injunctions.
It has announced that the power to issue gang injunctions for under-18s is being shifted from the civil courts to youth courts.
Alongside this, advice and support will be provided to local authorities, police, the judiciary and court staff on how and when to apply for an injunction.
Meanwhile, revised statutory guidance, and practical advice on injunctions will be published, alongside good practice examples.
A review of operational guidance and the kind of training available to local agencies will also be held.
And a consultation will be launched on whether the definition of a gang within the legislation should be changed “to reflect the evolving nature of street gang activity across the country and ensure that gang injunctions can be used to target the right individuals”.
Campaigners have previously rallied against the use of gang injunctions on children, claiming that it is a breach of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
