Web push to curb youth gang crime
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Crimestoppers is running a week-long campaign to deter young people from gang and knife crime.
From 30 June, the charity will begin to use its youth website, www.shadowcs.co.uk, to get the message across. During the week, all online discussions - where users remain anonymous - will revolve around gun and knife crimes. Teenagers will be able to play the site's new Gun Runner platform game, where players have to collect guns and put them in a crusher.
A young group called Street Movementz has produced a song, Anti-gun and Knives, for Crimestoppers. It is available for download from the website.
Phil Pyatt, Crimestoppers' head of youth, said since the launch of the site, the charity had received "very sensitive" anonymous emails relating to a range of crimes, including gun and knife crimes.
"We have been able to provide clear advice on the best options that are available to those young people," he said. "With the internet being possibly the most accessible way of communicating with young people, it's important to provide a site where they can discuss crime topics that affect them and seek advice anonymously without fear of reprisals."