Channel 4s’ flagship documentary programme which recently exposed the questionable antics of Ken Livingstone’s rule in London last night aired a magnificent programme on youth crime, in particular the killings of teenagers in south London. There was some excellent footage of interviews and plenty of relevant facts highlighting the rising concern in regard to gang culture. Maybe Livingstone can spend a few million pounds providing youth centres and activities in Greater London. There was also good footage from Glasgow where gang culture is well entrenched but lacks the gratuitous use of guns so common in the major urban centres of England.
On the positive side the programme sought possible answers to counter gang culture. There is a sad neglect of the needs for youths and the reluctance of national and local governments to spend money on youth centres. There are organisations that are actively involved in filling the gap with providing youth centres and activities to overcome territorial boundaries so loved by gangs.
More should be done by local and national governments to provide facilities and activities for youth and the sooner the better. Come on Greater London Mayor, Livingstone, let’s see some of that cash you love wasting and spend it on youth centres and activities.
2 Comments
January 29, 2008 at 11:30 am
organizations like in-volve are giving young people the opportunity to get out of the madness.
http://www.in-volve.org.uk
January 29, 2008 at 3:34 pm
it seems to us that was urgently need is organisations like Gladiator based in Glasgow which rather than sit in stuffy offices has made an effort to reach out to youths and offer them facilities and this is what is needed. The Greater London Mayor, Livingstone, should wake up and see to it that initiatives like Gladiator be introduced in south London: actual on the ground work is what is needed. Funding by national and local government needs to be made available. The root cause is boredom, youths need to be involved, really involved.
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