Gang fears put off young people from accessing youth facilities

Tags: gangs | youth activity

Young people unlucky enough to live in 'gang areas' are being prevented from accessing youth facilities, according to a recent study.

The in-depth investigation titled 'Who needs enemies with friends like these? The importance of place for young people living in known gang areas' blames a lack of recent research focussing on British gangs for the media storm which local authorities, the public and the government have come to rely on for information about gangs.

The article says: "In Britain, academics and public bodies such as the Youth Justice Board rightly warn against the dangers of a too liberal use of gang labels; yet, the term ‘gang' has become entrenched in both national and local crime and disorder strategies" and says such labelling and emotive responses towards perceived gang culture can be damaging to young people living in 'gang areas.'

Authors Robert Ralphs, Juanjo Medina and Judith Aldridge, from the University of Manchester,  repeat  Professor Rod Morgan's warning that "we risk demonizing a whole generation, by labelling young people as ‘thugs in hooded tops' and ‘gang members'" and suggest that the  unrestrained scaremongering in societies with a justified fear of gang violence could have a damaging effect on young people in the community.

For example, youths are found to be targeted by police and other officials using markers as simple as "the neighbourhood where they live, their relationship with a known gang member, or their style of dress." Whilst some of the young people identified using these visual clues will have a gang association, many do not, and yet are unfairly linked with these harmful groups, which undoubtedly has extremely negative consequences for them.

Intense police attention on young people unfortunate enough to live in an area known for its gang culture makes them likely to be chosen for 'stop and search' practices which naturally breed suspicion and bad feeling towards authority figures, even in non-offending youths.

The study points out that the 'lives and activities' of young people are not recognised as forming their identities as readily as socio-economic factors, especially concerning where they live.

Therefore young people participating in healthy, positive projects fall foul of stereotyping  - and this may ruin their chances of progressing in society, despite their own efforts to move on. 'Place' becomes extremely important for young people who find themselves confined within 'gang' territories.

Without being shown the 'bigger picture' outside of their troubled communities, they become defined by the problems associated with their area - and if prevented from accessing facilities such as myplace centres young people who may be most in need of support are missing out on the very projects which are supposed to help them.

Fear of negative attention from gang members and the authorities mean young people are often wary of moving into certain spaces, and these can include youth centres.

Gang places are targets for rival attacks, including drive-by shootings, and an example is given of young people entering a community building in balaclavas.

This means "well-resourced, purpose-built facilities" for young people end up going to waste.

This leads to a catch-22 situation - young people are too afraid to venture out of their own area - and seek refuge close to home: if these streets are known gang hang-outs they will inevitably come into contact with known gang members in their area; young people are labelled by the company they keep - a label that can be tough to remove.

Young people will often befriend gang members living in their community to obtain a sense of security - on the surface a smart way to avoid becoming a victim, but a sure-fire way to get on the wrong side of the police, even if they quietly disapprove of their 'friends'.

The study shows how individuals at a local youth club were labelled 'gang associates', and were stopped from joining in carnivals and family fun days 'in the interests of public safety' and to prevent potential conflict with rival gangs, even though the young people did not see themselves as gang members, were not accepted by the gangs as members, and had never committed a crime.

Attending youth clubs frequented by gang members (which will subsequently be identified by police as 'gang set spaces') can lead to unwarranted labelling and harassment by local police, according to the article's authors, and can have devastating consequences for non-offending young people. Family links with gangs are especially dangerous, as individuals are known to have been excluded from school after being called a 'gang associate' even though they, personally, are not part of a gang.

Low aspirations result from teachers applying these labels to their pupils and following them up with misguided warnings for the future. Negative stereotyping of an area is even shown to affect pursuits of higher education and training, as applicants believe they are judged by where they live, and even if this isn't the case - the belief is enough to make them give up trying.

The afore-mentioned fear of entering places viewed as 'unsafe' means young people, depending on where they consider 'safe', are often prevented from accessing "leisure and other services", and are therefore socially excluded and marginalised.

Gangs are known to grow out of social exclusion, and so the lives of young people living in areas known for gang activity will only be made worse by the barriers to accessing youth facilities. Ironically, the recent focus on gangs and young people's behaviour may lead to more young offenders as innocent youths become increasingly isolated.

It is the responsibility of youth workers to help young people to confidently access facilities in their area without fear of being victimised by gangs and stigmatised by their own communities.