WALTHAM FOREST: £3m anti-gang project launched (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)
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WALTHAM FOREST: £3m anti-gang project launched
10:50am Saturday 29th January 2011 in News By Daniel Binns
A £3million scheme to tackle street violence by telling gang members to change their ways or face an intense police crackdown has been launched.
Project Ceasefire will see criminals and their families offered help with housing, addiction, education and employment in an attempt to tackle the root causes of gang problems.
But if those targeted refuse support, police have pledged to place them under intense scrutiny.
The project, which will also see more anti-gang work in schools, is loosely based on policies introduced in Boston, USA, and Strathclyde, Scotland, which focused on wider social problems linked to gang activity.
It will invlove council staff and visiting families to offer up to nine hours support a week to address issues affecting them.
MPs, councillors and police officers attended the launch of the project on Friday (January 28).
It comes after an upsurge in suspected gang-related violence across the borough over the summer months, including non-fatal stabbings and shootings.
Speaking at the launch, council leader Chris Robbins said: "What is clear is that none of us can deal with the gang issue on our own.
“We have to ensure that all these different parts work together.
"Gang violence only directly affects a very small proportion of Waltham Forest, but the devastation of it ripples through the whole of the community."
Borough commander Steve Wiseby said the project will run alongside new measures such as the recently launched 'gang injunctions' which can ban individuals from entering certain areas or wearing gang colours.
He said: "Youth and gang violence is a priority for us. And here in Waltham Forest working with the council I'm glad to say they agree and there is a real positive team attitude."
Mr Wiseby said plans were in progress to place police workers in the same offices as council staff so information can be shared.
Mr Duncan Smith told the launch: "It's not possible to just arrest our way out of the problem.
"I am proud that the borough has come forward at last and come up with a really good plan. The key point is nothing works unless everyone is working together." "Where east London goes today, I think the rest of London should follow tomorrow."
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Comments(14)
Sam Hain
says...
5:35pm Sat 29 Jan 11
NT
says...
10:09am Sun 30 Jan 11
So far, so bad. But there are also one or two more hopeful developments. LBWF will be aware that the relevant parts of the government are now looking on, so that (unlike with the NRF/BNI till now) monkey business will not go unpunished. There are some new and highly capable officers involved, very different to their predecessors, and much more determined to make a difference. And, finally, some residents, too, are energised, and ready to supply ideas and enthusiasm.
The key now is to ensure that the programme unfolds purposefully, and that must mean democratically, with the involvement of local people of all ages and backgrounds. And really, as I'm sure you'd agree, it's up to us all to make sure that that happens.
EducateCommunities
says...
3:38am Mon 31 Jan 11
No need to point fingers time to deal with reality and let the community take the lead role now, as we are the ones on the ground who live with the dramas every day.
We have the inside intel and do not need over paid so called professionals to guide us down the garden path again.
Save the stats and propaganda and listen to what we need to create a social change, it takes a community to change a community.
Especially if we have the background and experience plus actually live in the zone.
NT
says...
10:30am Mon 31 Jan 11
myopinioncounts
says...
10:52am Mon 31 Jan 11
Cattleactor
says...
1:10pm Mon 31 Jan 11
EducateCommunities
says...
3:16pm Mon 31 Jan 11
NT wrote:Do not be sorry NT not sure what you are getting at, but the buck stops with the people in charge who are power hungry and continue to dress up the real issues and waste public funds.
Sorry: 'surprising imprecision'.
Yes they have a few good people in place but they do not call the shots, to many minions doing the dirty work for the BIG CHIEFS and professionals turning a blind eye.
If this means anything to you ?
Sam Hain
says...
10:58pm Mon 31 Jan 11
EducateCommunities
says...
2:40am Wed 2 Feb 11
A minor spelling mistake just shows we are humane.
kenjack
says...
3:24am Wed 2 Feb 11
ence placing them at further risk of harm.
It will not be long before those seen to be co-operating with the program are labelled as "snitches" as this information spreads throughout the community. Those that do not co-operate will then be targeted and likely end up in jail. All the project will do is take gang-members off the street for a time to place them back into the community with the same beliefs and values that they entered prison with. More importantly, do these authorities think that locking the youth up will stop violence on the street, it is well known with those close to this problem that the dictating of violence especially with elder members continues behind prison walls.
The project is a top-down suppression model, once again with little regard for the communities affected particularly the BME communities already being over targeted with stop and search. The borough have cut major front line services, including education/employment so how do they justify this? Top this with EMA cut for young people, I can only imagine crime will go up. Its about time the community take action.
mdj
says...
12:41pm Wed 2 Feb 11
It's saying that we regard the young as a source of possible menace to society, rather than a cherished and respected part of it, with a role to play and a future to look forward to.
Concentrate on decent schooling, social inclusion and work and recreational opportunities, rather than focussing on the symptoms of their absence. If all we have to say to the young is about gangs, we're calling attention to the very kind of behaviour we want them to forget about. Kenjack puts it well: it's a 'suppression' model. Perhaps it's a quietly despairing admission that this isn't, and isn't about to become, a society with a valid and respected role for its young people.
kenjack
says...
2:27pm Wed 2 Feb 11
NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE OTHER CEASEFIRE MODELS.
I am all for enforcement with regards to those that have caused harm in the community as long as it serves its purpose, i.e. punishment, rehabilitation and recidivism.
Having knowledge of the youth justice system, very little rehabilitation is done in custody and what it does is place them with far more entrenched offenders. This process further excludes them from society. Whatever happened to "Every Child Matters"?
With the high recidivism rate we are currently experiencing all this Project is doing is admitting the administration have no idea of how to tackle this issue. So back to the good old "lets lock them all up" ideology.
As mentioned this Project is based on the Boston Ceasefire - Boston Miracle model so lets look at their long term results, not the short term reductions due to incarceration.
At 00:50 of the video below it states that violence increased as soon as those that were locked up were released back into the community.....
http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=trrncNmLy
1c&feature=related
EducateCommunities
says...
5:39pm Wed 2 Feb 11
All well and good but if the Fundamental components are not followed then the SCHEME or PROJECT CEASEFIRE WALTHAM FOREST will FAIL.
Going by the recent EXCLUSION of COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION in the LAUNCH, the signs are not looking good as the same attention-seeking politicians are pictured in the press launch.
We need as a COMMUNITY to insist that this is just not another glossing over of the issues and more funds wasted.
The COMMUNITY should have the chance to drive this project in order for it to succeed, as this is what was the MAIN FACTOR which proved it worked in the first place.
Other wise save the money and put it towards building another PRISON in time for the 2012 OLYMPICS.
With high unemployment for youth and cutbacks for youth activity they do not believe in anything the politicians or police say.
You only have to look at the recent student protests we only want the BEST for our Communities and Youth.
EducateCommunities says...
2:05pm Sat 29 Jan 11
All the Pomp and PR but you is leading this scheme again the same police and council that run SafetyNet that does NOT WORK.
If they actually want to make a difference you NEED THE COMMUNITY LEADERS TO DRIVE this SCHEME NOT THE SAME OLD MIS-MANAGEMENT MODELS THAT FAIL.
I HOPE IT WORKS FOR OUR SAKE BUT NOT IMPRESSED BY THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE ALL TALK LIMITED ACTION.