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Violent crime,
including gang welfare and the use of firearms, affects many urban
communities, with a growing number of alarming incidents reported
in the media. Churches often struggle to find appropriate ways to
respond to these crises and the pastoral needs that arise from them. |
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According to
the Home Office, almost half a million UK teenagers are members
of 'delinquent youth groups' (ie, gangs). The factors most strongly
associated with gang membership are having friends in trouble with
the police, having run away from home, commitment to 'deviant peers',
having been expelled or suspended from school, and being drunk on
a frequent basis.
 Delinquent
youth groups and offending behaviour |
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In
his book God and the Gangs, Robert
Beckford attempts to provide some much-needed theological tools
for an understanding of the rise of disaffection among Black urban
youth. Offering a clear analysis of the cultural and political factors
at work, he calls for an approach based on reflection and action
to seek life-transforming responses. Beckford argues that many young
men live in a world where they think that playing the fool and imitating
rappers such as 50
Cent or So Solid Crew will somehow enable them to overcome the
disadvantages bound up with being poor, undereducated and from a
minority ethnic community.
If the church is to have an effect on gun crime and gang violence,
it can't keep using the same old approaches; traditionally, it was
a case of either turning a blind eye to what was happening, or calling
a prayer meeting to ‘pray away’ the situation. Beckford
argues that the church must develop new paradigms to handle such
senseless killings as those of Birmingham teenagers Charlene Ellis
and Letisha Shakespeare. He says that the work of the Street
Pastors is one such example of interventionist action by the
church. |
 Robert
Beckford |
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An internal
police report on London's gangs has identified 169 separate groups,
with more than a quarter said to have been involved in murders and
nearly half in serious assault. The unpublished Metropolitan Police
report identifies 19 gangs involved in causing a "high level"
of harm and 29 involved in causing a "medium level". Gangs
are responsible for more than a fifth of youth crime in London,
according to the report. The largest number of gangs are said to
be in Hackney (22 gangs); Enfield (13); Lambeth and Merton (12 gangs
each); Waltham Forest (11) and Brent (11). Gangs were found to have
around 20 to 30 members, and to commit crimes in smaller groups
of three to six. The majority are based in the area where the members
live. African-Caribbean gangs were described as the largest group,
followed by south Asian and white gangs. |
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| Beckford points
out that peer gangs, loose collectives of youths who come together
through friendship, family ties or geographical affiliation, are
not involved in major crime or violence, but many commit nuisance
offences. This has been backed up by research
by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation that concludes that teenagers
hang around in gangs on street corners for their own protection
rather than to intimidate people. The report showed that youngsters
are wary of violent gangs and aggressive adults and they pool their
knowledge to avoid getting into trouble. By looking out for each
other and keeping in touch via mobile phones, the groups take responsibility
for their own safety. Professor Malcolm Hill commented: "We
were impressed by the positive part that young people's peer groups
played in helping them to stay safe. Young people had often become
experts in avoiding potential trouble. They know about avoiding
people, places and certain times of day, and they deploy a range
of strategies including keeping a low profile or asking friends
or parents to accompany them in order to keep safe." |
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 Gangs
are becoming more territorial, rather than based on making money.
There have been rumours of people taking out rival crews —
people getting people before they get them. There is a real culture
of fear. — Youth
worker |
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A series of
deadly gang shootings that culminated with the shooting of a 17-year-old
boy on the steps of a church while he was attending the funeral
of another slain boy caused a church in Toronto to work with police
and civic leaders to find effective solutions. Increasing handgun
violence in poor, predominantly Black Toronto neighbourhoods motivated
Orim Meikle, pastor of Rhema Christian Ministries, to start prayer
walk outreaches and home visits to the city's five most violent
ghettos. Initially the team knocked on residents' doors and asked
how they could help. “Their unanimous answer was jobs: 'We
need jobs,'” Meikle said. “So we got some government
grants — for skills training and small-business startups —
started training youth on computers, and showed them how to dress,
walk and behave during a job interview. If you dress like a gangster,
you'll be treated that way. But if you dress for success, that's
what you'll get.” Rhema also opened a transitional home for
young men at risk for criminal activity, and the church plans to
buy more houses. |
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The number
of shootings and murders involving people aged under 20 in London's
black community has more than doubled in the past four years. Scotland
Yard's Operation Trident unit found the number of victims had risen
from 31 in 2003 to 76 in 2006, and shows no sign of decreasing. |
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| To
tackle youth crime and disorder for the long term, we will have
to place real trust in the hands of the people and organisations
that understand the challenges young people face, and can offer
the quality of care and emotional support they need. We've heard
a lot over the past few years about a partnership between government
and the voluntary sector. Too often, the reality is that for "partnership"
you can read "takeover." If we're serious about the social
sector doing more, then government and the public sector has to
learn to let go. To let the social sector and social entrepreneurs
take wings and soar. It has to say to the youth club teaching kids
excluded from school... the drug rehab with the best record of helping
young people get clean and stay clean... or the faith-based charity
bringing discipline and purpose to the chaotic lives of parents
who've lost control... Our record is lousy; yours is great —
so you should be in charge. We want to share responsibility for
tackling youth crime and anti-social behaviour because we believe
that we're all in this together.
— David
Cameron |
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What
are the issues facing churches that want to have an impact in
this field? Do you know of any church projects making progress
in this field? |
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Admittedly,
yungas are all about copying older people who they think are cool,
and yeh, dey might see drug abuse and violence on music videos,
but hip hop, rap and grime is a way of life. It’s not all
about violence and dat, in fact a few tracks have been made in memory
of people who have died from gun crime. Without music I dunno where
I would be, it’s a way of expressing your feelings. But I
think rappers like 50 need to realise kids of 12-13 listen to his
music, and wanna be like him, when it blatantly ain’t about
drugs and violence! Spread tha love!
— Kaaay |
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I'm
16 years old and from the UK. I really agree that hip hop is changing
teenage minds. Listening to it and watchin' it on TV makes young
people do the same things. For example, the way 50 Cent dresses,
the way he hangs around with his crew, some youngsters follow those
ways. I thank God coz I was starting to fall for rap music but by
reading and seeing people the same age as me dying on the streets
for money, drugs 'n all da illegal activities makes me not follow
those steps.
— Joe |
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I
see a world shaped by rap, but I don’t think it’s time
for the church to back out; it’s time to take over. We can
change the world by changing the face of rap music. It’s a
field we must rip for Christ the world over.
— Kayce |
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I
can’t say much about gangs cuz I’m in one but I do know
I never should of got in. since I’ve been in the gang I’ve
got in so much trouble. Now I’m 15 and fixin 2 be a mother.
Granted I know my baby’s daddy and love him very much. I’m
still 2 damn young to take care of a kid on my own. I just want
all these kidz that think gangs are cool 2 know it might be at first
but when u end up like me pregnant and jus got out of TYC u will
understand it's not what it seems to be.
— Stacia |
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I'm
16 from Enfield, norf London. Been in and out of different gangs
since I was bout 12. It's nuffin to do wiv 50 Cent and Americans
cause most of us don't listen to that, we listen to underground
UK MCz in the grime scene and I'm sick of the government who don't
know anyfing saying that we're like this cause of 50 Cent when we're
like this cause we're poor and no 1 cares wot happens to us. Reply
to this any1.
— Romain |
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Young people
from Southwark have produced an award-winning short film about the
effects of gun violence. The Ends — street slang for housing
estate — is the result of a six-month project by crime reduction
charity Kickstart. The powerful nine-minute film was written, directed
and acted by 30 young people from Kickstart’s youth inclusion
project who have had no previous film or acting experience. The
film is designed to be used in schools and youth groups throughout
south London to spread the message about the dangers of gun and
violent crime. Although the film has an 18 certificate, it can be
shown to 15-year olds in conjunction with the accompanying worksheets.
Kickstart |
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'Untouchable'
is an anti gun crime resource pack and DVD developed by the Peace
Alliance.
The
Peace Alliance |
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God
and the Gangs: Robert Beckford
An
urban toolkit for those who won’t be sold out, bought out
or scared out. Accessibly written, God and the Gangs is essential
reading for those seeking to resource themselves for urban work
or ministry.
‘This book is a helpful “toolkit” for understanding
and engaging with the underlying issues which shape our urban communities.
We can only help when we understand, and then respond relevantly
at all levels.’ Rev Les Isaac, Ascension Trust. ‘A bold
and angry challenge to a community which has come to accept the
inhuman consequences of individualism – always looking the
other way.’ Rt Rev Dr John Sentamu, Bishop of Birmingham.
Robert
Beckford
is Lecturer in Black Theology at the University of Birmingham.
 Available
to buy from amazon.com
and amazon.co.uk |
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Working
with Gangs and Young People: A Toolkit for Resolving Group Conflict
Concern
about gang culture is on the increase, but remains surrounded by
myths. While gangs may lead young people into dangerous situations
and breed community division, distrust and fear, the friendship,
support, security and sense of belonging they offer are often overlooked
by those working with young people involved in gangs. Working with
Gangs and Young People demonstrates how young people can be engaged
in a creative and challenging process that explores the costs, gains
and consequences of the choices they make around their gang membership.
It provides a tried and tested training programme for anyone involved
in conflict resolution with young people in groups or gangs, and
offers effective interventions that work. Based on a five year action
research project developed by Leap Confronting Conflict, this practical,
fully photocopiable toolkit gives practitioners the materials, support
and inspiration needed to engage young people who are involved in
gangs.
Available
to buy from amazon.com
and amazon.co.uk |
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How do you
spend you weekends? Groups of volunteers spend them on the streets
of major cities; teams of Street Pastors patrol some of the most
dangerous and notorious neighbourhoods spreading a message of peace
and goodwill.
Street
Pastors |
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Is it all too
easy for politicians and the media to blame gangsta rappers for
the fact that young people carry guns and knives? Could it be that
the alienated youths that do so have been far more influenced by
other factors such as poor education or family breakdown?
Taking
the Rap? |
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A report for
the Mayor of London highlighted the fact that it has been clear
for some years that Britain’s education system is failing
to give black boys the start in life which they, and their parents,
are entitled to expect.
How
Schools Fail Black Boys |
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London's Metropolitan
Police is adopting an innovative new tactic in its war against the
scourge of knife crime which is ruining the lives of many young
people throughout the capital. Scotland Yard has produced a video
game simulation that brings home the realities of knife crime.
Carrying
a Knife: It's Not a Game |
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