Initiative aims to cut youth crime

Home Office minister John Denham has relaunched an initiative that encourages businesses to work with young people to cut down on crime.Working with financial services group Prudential, crime reduction charity Crime Concern has revamped Prudential 4 Youth. Prudential has provided more than 2m of funding since the partnership launched ten years ago. It is designed to educate young people about the impact of crime on retailers. The scheme is run through 15 Prudential-owned shopping centres.Denham said: This shows how businesses, working in partnership, can promote responsibility in young people. The scheme is an excellent example of a real partnership in action.Dave Sharpe, Crime Concern senior consultant, said Prudential 4 Youth would provide an interactive and relevant experience for young people involved in Youth Action Groups.It is impressive that a company like Prudential sees itself as having a crucial role in the lives of young people and not simply as a profit-based organisation, Sharpe said.For details of Crime Concern, go to www.crimeconcern.org.uk/pages/home.asp or alternatively call the charitys head office on 01793 863500.