Young people and gangs

The Centre for Social Justice and urban youth charity XLP have published Girls and Gangs, a report which states that girls face brutality and exploitation in gang underworld.

Key recommendations from the report include:

• The Home Office and Greater Manchester Police should commit to finishing the mapping exercise of gang-associated women and girls, and produce a practical guide for other policy forces and local authorities to use by the end of 2014-15;
• Police and Crime Commissioners should work with the VCS to ensure that the girlfriends of imprisoned gang members receive an offer of support to exit gang life;
• All hospitals with major trauma units situated in one of the 33 gang-affected areas should embed a youth worker and train staff to spot signs of gang association;
• Commissioners of gang mentoring services should ensure that services are personalised and relational, well trained and supported, and have strong referral routes to other services;
• Funding for gang mentoring services should reflect the need to develop long-term mentoring relationships with gang members; and
• Stop and Search should be reviewed to ensure that this practice is not incentivising girls to carry firearms and drugs.

To download the report visit www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/UserStorage/pdf/Pdf%20reports/Girls-and-Gangs-FINAL-VERSION.pdf.