tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819711698688655785.post740879202455861651..comments2023-10-30T00:44:05.942-07:00Comments on Governing through Crime: Chairman of the BoardJonathan Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15217567476776700363noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819711698688655785.post-79653023450200737722011-08-13T14:21:35.505-07:002011-08-13T14:21:35.505-07:00Finally, police in the UK should appreciate that B...<i>Finally, police in the UK should appreciate that Bratton's strategy has not generally been a plan for community disinvestment. </i><br /><br />Strathclyde Police has also been held up by David Cameron as an example of how to deal with gangs: “I want us to use the record of success against gangs in some cities like Boston in the USA and indeed Strathclyde Police in Scotland – who have done this by engaging the police, the voluntary sector and local government. I want this to be a national priority" (<a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/mobile/news/home-news/cameron-vows-to-learn-from-scotland-over-riots-1.1117210" rel="nofollow">Herald</a>).<br /><br />Interestingly, their model "has not generally been a plan for community disinvestment" either:<br /><br /><i>Gang culture - and its associations with violence and serious organised crime - has been a blight on Glasgow's poorer neighbourhoods for decades.<br /><br />In 2008, a Centre for Social Justice report found the city was home to more than 170 gangs, more than the number estimated to be operating in London at that time.<br /><br />The past few years has seen concentrated efforts and financial investment by both the Scottish Government and Strathclyde Police to tackle the problem. The force set up a dedicated Gangs Task Force in March 2008, to serve as a specialist unit to identify, find and arrest gang members involved in crime.</i> (<a href="http://breakingnews.heraldscotland.com/breaking-news/?mode=article&site=et&id=N0333411313068217944A" rel="nofollow">Evening Times</a>)<br /><br />Apparently some of those funds have gone to a charity which works with gang members to try to reduce re-offending (<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-14516793" rel="nofollow">BBC</a>).<br /><br />However, although David Cameron has seemed keen on the idea of charities providing services, he's seemed rather less keen on providing additional funding so I'm not sure if he'd really want other police forces to adopt Strathclyde Police's model.Laura Vivancohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00906661869372622821noreply@blogger.com