Rising crime linked to social deprivation and a failing care system

Dr Erin Sanders-McDonagh from SSPSSR comments on the possible causes of a rise in serious crimes revealed in new data from the Office for National Statistics.

‘The recent statistical bulletin on crime in England and Wales from the ONS suggests that homicide and some forms of violent crime are increasing, particularly in London and other urban areas.

‘While we must be cautious when interpreting these figures, research findings from a three-year project with high-risk young offenders suggests that social inequality and poverty need to be tackled to reduce violent crime. Over 100 young offenders from some of the most notorious street gangs have been interviewed as part of the project – many come from areas with very high levels of social deprivation and many have mental health needs that are not being met by the current system.

‘Many of them have been failed by the education and care system, and the continued cuts to the public sector from 2010 mean that services that could have helped them were unable to do so.

‘While increasing funding to the police may well help to solve crimes that have already been committed, research with this group suggests that investing money in areas with high levels of deprivation, including social services, education, health, and youth projects, is the only way to prevent violent crime.’

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