The London Youth Crime Prevention Board

The London Youth Crime Prevention Board's Safer Young London report was launched by Minister for London Tony McNulty, Mayor Boris Johnson and Lord Victor Adebowale on 26th March at the House of Lords. 

Copies can be downloaded from the right of this page or requested by contacting us through the website here.

Facilitated by GOL and chaired independently by Lord Victor Adebowale, LYCPB brought together senior figures from agencies operating across London in the spheres of youth crime, community safety and children's services.  Its Safer Young London contains practical recommendations for tackling youth crime, some already in progress, developed by the Board during its 18-month life. 

The London Youth Crime Prevention Board (LYCPB) was announced as part of a package of measures following a crime summit in February 2007 at 10 Downing Street. LYCPB met for the first time in July 2007 and for the last in January 2009. Its constituent partners and agencies will continue to implement the programmes and recommendations detailed in the report.

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Safer Young London

The main chapters of the report reflect LYCPB’s collective belief that to keep young people out of trouble, they need to feel safe, lead interesting and rewarding lives and have a criminal justice system that they can be confident in. They focus on the following:

• Chapter 1: Safe & Sound

This chapter focuses on the universal safety net provided by schools and how to make the most of the unparalleled access that schools have to children in young people.  It gives information about the new Schools Safety and Cohesion Programme, which has been piloted in 27 schools across London.  The programme puts schools at the heart of crime reduction, providing a pupil-saftey model that can be built into their culture.  For more information on the Schools Safety and Cohesion Programme click here. 

• Chapter 2: Active & Strong

This chapter focuses on provision for children whose behaviour leads to them being excluded from mainstream schools. It looks at improving outcomes in Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) across London, capitalizing on the the interest generated for PRUs nationally by the Back on Track White Paper.  A pan-London Back on Track Project is now being led by London Councils and will invest £525k of DCSF funding in PRUs over the next three years. For further details contact London Councils.

• Chapter 3: Crime & Justice

This chapter focuses on first contact between young people and the criminal justice system. It sets out a vision for an improved criminal justice system and explains how the London Criminal Justice Board's Making Youth Justice Work Better strategy will support this improvement. This strategy has 4 main elements aimed at rapidly indentifying those at risk of offending, developing responses to those at risk of victimisation, improving court processes and supporting resettlement and reintegration.  For further information visit the London Criminal Justice Board website. 

• Chapter 4: Data

This chapter reponds to LYCPB's agreement to develop a 'dashboard' or index of data that accurately shows how young people are experiencing crime in London.  The negative images presented by the media are causing increasing concern among young people and policy makers in the capital - there is a need to bring all of the data together to give a true and balanced picture.  To provide this the dashboard will capture indicators of personal safety, risk, resilience and the positive contribution of young people to stronger, safer communities.  LYCPB has already consulted on the purpose and content of the dashboard and will consult more widely following the report launch.  The new Serious Youth Violence Board will provide leadership to develop the dashboard. Further details will be available on this site in due course.

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For further details contact:

Michael.Mensah@gol.gsi.gov.uk,  0207 217 3584

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