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Tackling youth gang-related violence in Glasgow: Results of the 2-year pilot of the Community Initiative to Reduce Violence. Will Linden Violence Reduction Unit Damien J. Williams, & Peter D. Donnelly University of St Andrews. Acknowledgements. Staff at the Violence Reduction unit.
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Tackling youth gang-related violence in Glasgow: Results of the 2-year pilot of the Community Initiative to Reduce Violence Will Linden Violence Reduction Unit Damien J. Williams, & Peter D. Donnelly University of St Andrews
Acknowledgements Staff at the Violence Reduction unit Staff at the Community Initiative to Reduce Violence Scottish Faculty of Public Health Annual Conference
Overview • Violence in Scotland • Violence in Glasgow • Recreational violence • Community Initiative to Reduce Violence • Results: 12, 18, 24 months • Conclusions Scottish Faculty of Public Health Annual Conference
Violence in Scotland Scottish Faculty of Public Health Annual Conference
Glasgow's tradition of violence A number of factors believed to account for the high homicide rate in Glasgow (McAra, 2008, p. 486): “pockets of extreme neighbourhood deprivation; a culture of knife-carrying amongst young males; sectarian/football violence; organized crime and gang culture; and a heavy drinking culture coupled with local ‘anti-heroes’ in the form of the ‘Glasgow hardman” Scottish Faculty of Public Health Annual Conference
Glasgow: “Murder capital of Europe”(Marin, 2004) • The Strathclyde Police Force area accounted for 55% of all Scottish homicides in 2009-10 (Scottish Government, 2010). • The highest rate of homicide in Europe per head of population. Scottish Faculty of Public Health Annual Conference
Recreational violence “It is depressing nowadays to take up ones paper and read the daily catalogue of assaults and murders with knives, razors and other lethal weapons. Indeed slashing and stabbings are becoming so common that they appear to be accepted as part of our modern youth’s recreation” Glasgow Evening Times Letters Page 14th March 1930 Scottish Faculty of Public Health Annual Conference
Gangs in Glasgow • Typical Glasgow gang (Strathclyde Police, CIRV, 2009) • White male age 12-23 years • Membership from 2 to 50 • Organised around territory • Most share common background of family neglect, poor living and education opportunities and alcohol abuse. • Most have previous convictions Scottish Faculty of Public Health Annual Conference
Community Initiative to Reduce Violence Scottish Faculty of Public Health Annual Conference • Based on the Cincinnati Initiative to Reduce Violence and Boston Ceasefire projects • Initiated October 2008 • Multi-agency, community centred • £5m intervention funded by Scottish government, designed by Strathclyde police • Treat gang as a unit for behavioural purpose • 3 Components: • Enforcement (Gangs Task Force) • Moral Voice of the Community (The violence must stop) • Services and Programmes
Results: 12-month report • At the end of one year violent acts by those engaging in the program were reduced by 49.2% compared to 12 months pre-engagement • By the end of 12 months the reduction in the number of violent acts was 18.5% in those who did not engage Scottish Faculty of Public Health Annual Conference Report available at: www.actiononviolence.com
Results: 18-month report • By the end of 18 months the average reduction was 46% compared to 18 months pre-engagement Scottish Faculty of Public Health Annual Conference Report available at: www.actiononviolence.com
Results: 24-month report Scottish Faculty of Public Health Annual Conference Report available at: www.actiononviolence.com
Results: 24-month report Scottish Faculty of Public Health Annual Conference Report available at: www.actiononviolence.com
Conclussions • Reduction in all violent acts committed by known offenders is encouraging • Evidence of dose-response • Still early days, so caution appropriate • Consistent level of violence reduction across pilot project • Difficult to attribute cause and effect • Future roll-out Scottish Faculty of Public Health Annual Conference
Thank youDamien J. Williams djw11@st-andrews.ac.uk 17th & 18th November 2011 Scottish Faculty of Public Health Annual Conference