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Gang members supplying guns could face life in jail Gangs strategy to target girl victims says Home Office
(about 3 hours later)
Gang members trading in guns could face life in jail, says Home Secretary Theresa May. Home Secretary Theresa May says the government's gangs strategy will help girls who are being "used as weapons" in turf wars.
The idea follows concerns that the same guns are being traded between gangs and used in a series of different attacks. Ministers are launching a youth violence team to target gangs.
Renewed attempts will also be made to intervene in the lives of young people at risk of becoming gang members. The strategy, born out of the summer riots in England, pledges 100 expert advisers and intensive intervention with families.
Labour says spending cuts could undermine the government's strategy. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the government's cuts meant the policy did not live up to the rhetoric.
Ms May will outline details of the cross-government approach to MPs later. href="http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/crime/ending-gang-violence/gang-violence-detailreport?view=Binary" >The government's strategy pledges to cut the number of young people killed or seriously wounded in youth violence by 2015.
Supplying firearms Among the chief victims to be targeted are girls, some of whom could also be gang members.
She says it is important that lengthening the prison sentence for supplying guns to gang members is looked at. Theresa May said: "More often they would be the victims. They would be the partners of gang members. They would find themselves being abused and sometimes being used as weapons, raping a rival gang leader's girlfriend to get back at that gang."
"We will be looking at this because I think it is important that we've got the right sentences in place ... in dealing with issues like firearms and the whole question of supplying firearms to gang members and the violence that results from that." The gangs strategy includes a pledge to double the capacity of family nurse partnerships by recruiting 4,200 more health visitors. The government says it will also improve education for pupils excluded from schools.
The Department for Work and Pensions aims to tackle 120,000 problem families in England and Wales, in some cases intervening before a child is born. Mrs May said the strategy would include looking at life sentences for gang members who trade in guns - but that enforcement alone could not solve the problem.
The police will also "flag up" convicted gang members who should be facing deportation so the UK Border Agency can take action. The plan, devised by the Home Office and other Whitehall departments, aims to intervene more precisely at every stage that someone could become a gang member.
Girl gangs Mrs May said the strategy had to prevent youngsters signing up to gangs in the first place - but also provide "pathways out" for those who want to leave behind criminality and violence.
The policy review was triggered by the summer riots but officials stress the strategy goes beyond the causes of that disorder, according to BBC home affairs correspondent Tom Symonds. Supporting parents
Gangs got much of the blame for the spread of disorder and Prime Minister David Cameron promised a "concerted, all-out war on gangs and gang culture". She said: "It may be support to parents in terms of how they bring up a child."
Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has said there was "pretty good evidence" gangs were at the centre of the riots.
But Ms May has since conceded that the "majority" of those involved in the riots were not in gangs.
'Pathways out'
She says there is no "one size fits all model" for tackling gangs but that the government needs to "get a grip" on membership and prevent children becoming involved.
"It may be support to parents in terms of how they bring up a child.
"For youngsters at school it may be identifying those who look as if they might become gang members, helping to prevent that happening and offering them pathways out if they do become a gang member.""For youngsters at school it may be identifying those who look as if they might become gang members, helping to prevent that happening and offering them pathways out if they do become a gang member."
A Home Office source said the previous Labour government had "really tried" to deal with social issues through early intervention but that many projects had fallen by the wayside despite the large sums invested, our correspondent added.
On a dark estate, I met up with a group of men in their early 20s who are, to various extents, giving up their gang lifestyles. They told me it started when they were just children; bored, free from parental supervision and envious of the "legends" and money surrounding older gang members.On a dark estate, I met up with a group of men in their early 20s who are, to various extents, giving up their gang lifestyles. They told me it started when they were just children; bored, free from parental supervision and envious of the "legends" and money surrounding older gang members.
Groups of friends started getting involved with drug dealing, robbery and endless violent battles for "respect". They still live in fear for their lives. This year, one witnessed a friend being shot dead.Groups of friends started getting involved with drug dealing, robbery and endless violent battles for "respect". They still live in fear for their lives. This year, one witnessed a friend being shot dead.
When it comes to enticing them away from the gang lifestyle, the approach taken by David Anthony - the youth worker who introduced us - seems to be working. Former gang members try to get them to join a "non-criminal" gang offering training and support.When it comes to enticing them away from the gang lifestyle, the approach taken by David Anthony - the youth worker who introduced us - seems to be working. Former gang members try to get them to join a "non-criminal" gang offering training and support.
His experience is that spending time and money on young people involved in gangs will pay off better than strong policing. The government believes both are necessary.His experience is that spending time and money on young people involved in gangs will pay off better than strong policing. The government believes both are necessary.
The coalition aims to find the most effective ways to intervene in young lives, putting extra money into supporting agencies which are attempting to deal with gangs. The government says it has earmarked £10m for early intervention work in the 30 most affected areas - but Labour said that sum has already been announced twice in the last year.
Its strategy - to be published later - includes researching girl gangs, encouraging closer working between health professionals, youth workers, police and schools. Yvette Cooper, shadow home secretary, questioned whether the strategy could deliver.
The government defines gangs as loose groupings of young people involved in criminality, defending their "territory" and fighting with other gangs. She said: "The home secretary is right to point to the devastating impact on victims of gang violence and intimidation.
Unlike their US counterparts, such as at the infamous Crips and Bloods, British gangs tend to be more fluid and have fewer defined rules and hierarchies. "We welcome emphasis on early intervention. It sits badly with the 20% cuts to Sure Start and well over 20% cuts to the Youth Service.
Ministers have been influenced by a number of projects, including the successful efforts of police and agencies in Glasgow to dramatically cut gang-related violence. "When you look at the reality behind the rhetoric this government is still making it harder, not easier, for the police and communities to tackle gang violence and crime."
Strathclyde police has focused on identifying the most active members and tackling their crime. Police say that approximately a fifth of those involved in the summer riots in London were known to be members of a gang. Overall, about half of all shootings and a fifth of serious violence in the capital is gang-related.
Det Ch Supt John Carnochan, head of its Violence Reduction Unit, says gang members are told their access to additional opportunities is linked to behaviour. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) has released href="http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/sites/default/files/AftertheRiotsfinal.pdf" >its own report into the riots - and urged the government to fully assess the impact of spending cuts to community services. In its report, it warns that vulnerable teenagers may find themselves without official support at the time they most need to be steered away from crime.
"Some of them fall off the wagon. They're OK for a couple of months and then we receive information that they were caught carrying a knife or they assaulted someone, then we deal with that," he said. Sir Stuart Etherington, head of the NCVO, said: 'It is essential that the lessons of the riots are not ignored. While the actions of the rioters were deplorable, we must address the sense of despair and disconnection felt by many who felt they had nothing to lose by taking part."
"We will stop them playing football, we will take them off courses they were on. We've actually taken people out of jobs. They always get a second or third chance, we never walk away. But they have to know: 'You break your word, we make sure there are consequences'."
Another successful scheme has been the Matrix strategy pioneered by Merseyside Police which combines high-profile law enforcement with schemes to find ways to allow gang members to escape.
However, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: "This government is making it harder, not easier, to take action against gangs by cutting 16,000 police officers and making 20% cuts to youth services.
"Changing the law won't work unless there are properly-funded partnerships in place to deliver the action we need."