๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ด๐ฎ๐ป๐ด?
The word โgangโ means different things in different contexts, the government in their paper โSafeguarding children and young people who may be affected by gang activityโ distinguishes between peer groups, street gangs and organised criminal gangs.
๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฝ
A relatively small and transient social grouping which may or may not describe themselves as a gang depending on the context.
๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ ๐ด๐ฎ๐ป๐ด
โGroups of young people who see themselves (and are seen by others) as a discernible group for whom crime and violence is integral to the group's identity.โ
๐ข๐ฟ๐ด๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ถ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ด๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐
โA group of individuals for whom involvement in crime is for personal gain (financial or otherwise). For most crime is their 'occupation.โ
It's not illegal for a young person to be in a gang โ there are different types of โgangโ and not every โgangโ is criminal or dangerous. However, gang membership can be linked to illegal activity, particularly organised criminal gangs involved in trafficking, drug dealing and violent crime.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐?
County Lines is the police term for urban gangs exploiting young people into moving drugs from a hub, normally a large city, into other markets - suburban areas and market and coastal towns - using dedicated mobile phone lines or โdeal linesโ. Children as young as 12 years old have been exploited into carrying drugs for gangs. This can involve children being trafficked away from their home area, staying in accommodation and selling and manufacturing drugs. This can include:
Airbnb and short-term private rental properties
Budget hotels
The home of a drug user, or other vulnerable person, that is taken over by a criminal gang- this may be referred to as cuckooing.
๐ฆ๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐๐ฐ๐ธ๐ผ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐ด
Signs that cuckooing has taken place include:
Signs of drug use
More people coming and going from the property
More cars or bikes outside
Litter outside
You havenโt seen the person who lives there recently or when you have, theyโve seemed anxious, distracted or not themselves.
Children living in these properties are at risk of neglect and other types of abuse. If youโre worried, itโs important to contact the Police immediately.
If a child has been trafficked for the purpose of criminal exploitation then they are a victim of abuse. Find out more about child trafficking in my Post titled Trafficking.
๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ด ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ?
A child or young person might be recruited into a gang because of where they live or because of who their family is. They might join because they donโt see another option or because they feel like they need protection. Children and young people may become involved in gangs for many reasons, including:
Peer pressure and wanting to fit in with their friends
They feel respected and important
ย They want to feel protected from other gangs, or bullies
ย They want to make money and are promised rewards
ย They want to gain status and feel powerful
ย Theyโve been excluded from school and donโt feel they have a future
Organised criminal gangs groom children and young people because theyโre less suspicious and are given lighter sentences than adults.
Studies show that a child is more at risk of being recruited if:
Theyโve been excluded from school
They have special education needs
There are problems at home like neglect, domestic abuse or sexual abuse
They have problems with their mental health
They live in existing gang territory
If youโre worried a child or young person is being groomed for criminal exploitation or to join a gang, contact your local services who will provide professional advice.
๐ฆ๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ถ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฝ๐น๐ผ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
There are some signs to look out for if youโre worried a child or young person has joined a gang, or is being criminally exploited. It might be hard to spot at first, but the sooner youโre able to talk to the young person the more youโll be able to help them. Here are some indicators:
Frequently absent from and doing badly in school.
Going missing from home, staying out late and travelling for unexplained reasons.
In a relationship or hanging out with someone older than them.
Being angry, aggressive or violent.
Being isolated or withdrawn.
Having unexplained money and buying new things.
Wearing clothes or accessories in gang colours or getting tattoos.
Using new slang words.
Spending more time on social media and being secretive about time online.
Making more calls or sending more texts, possibly on a new phone or phones.
Self-harming and feeling emotionally unwell.
Taking drugs and abusing alcohol.
Committing petty crimes like shop lifting or vandalism.
Unexplained injuries and refusing to seek medical help.
Carrying weapons or having a dangerous breed of dog.
๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ถ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฝ๐น๐ผ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
Itโs important to be aware of the risks of criminal exploitation or being involved with a criminal gang. They can use different tactics to recruit and exploit children and young people, including bribing them with rewards, befriending them, and threatening them, or coercing them.
Dangers of criminal exploitation include:
Being subject to threats, blackmail and violence
Being exploited and forced to commit crimes
Being arrested, including for crimes committed by the gang that they have not directly committed under the law of joint enterprise
Not being able to leave or cut off ties with the gang
Having their safety or the safety of friends and family threatened
Risk of physical harm, rape and sexual abuse
Risk of emotional abuse
Risk of severe injury or being killed
Abusing drugs, alcohol and other substances
Long-term impact on education and employment options.
Exploiting a child into committing crimes in abusive. Children who are targeted can also be groomed, physically abused, emotionally abused, sexually exploited or trafficked. However, as children involved in gangs often commit crimes themselves, sometimes they arenโt seen as victims by adults and professionals, despite the harm they have experienced. Itโs important to spot the signs and act quickly if you think a child is being groomed or is becoming involved with a gang. Read more about the signs below.
๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ป๐
Itโs against the law to carry a weapon โ like knives, guns or acid โ even if itโs meant for protection. If someone is found with a weapon theyโll be arrested. The safest thing to do if thereโs a threat is to contact the police, not to carry weapons for self-defence.
If youโre concerned about a childโs safety, contact the police immediately or contact National Childline helpline for advice.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐'๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฑ
There are things you can do to help stop a child from getting involved in a gang, or to help them once they've joined.
๐ง๐ฎ๐น๐ธ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐บ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐น๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป
If a child or young person is being groomed to join a gang, there are many factors to consider to protect them and keep them safe. However, itโs crucial that they feel theyโre able to talk to you, or to another trusted adult outside of the gang.
Speak to them honestly about the consequences of violent or illegal behaviour โ they might not realise how they could be liable or could have been lied to. However, make sure that they still feel comfortable talking to you about what is worrying them.
๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ
If youโre worried about a child, or know that theyโre involved with a gang or criminal group, try to be aware of where they are when theyโre out, who theyโre with and what theyโre doing on social media. Itโs important they trust you, but they might also be at risk.
Get to know your childโs friends and their families, and work with other parents and schools to keep an eye on their behaviour and who theyโre with. This will help to know when they might need support or when they might be at risk.
๐๐๐ธ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐
If youโre concerned about your child, the sooner you reach out to the Police or other agencies the better.
You can:
Contact the police immediately if youโre worried the child is in danger
Contact Childrenโs Services โ you can find them through your local council
Talk to the safeguarding lead at the childโs school and ask for support.
๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ
You can encourage them to get involved in positive activities at school or outside your local area โ such as sports and clubs. You can also talk to them about what they want to do in the future, and find apprenticeships and school programmes to help. Itโs important they feel like they have other options.
Talk to them about how to cope with pressure and how to deal with conflicts without using violence. Try to teach by example and look for ways of disciplining a child that donโt involve violence, so they feel like they can still talk to you about whatโs happening.
DJN
Fendo UK