Monitoring data from the Tackling Gangs Action Programme
The Tackling Gangs Action Programme (TGAP) was a six-month initiative, which was announced in September 2007 to target and reduce youth violence, particularly gang-related firearm offences. An additional £1.5 million was allocated to support this work in four cities in England and Wales. The work was conceived against of a backdrop of a number of high-profile fatal incidents involving young people and gangs, and the programme is part of on-going work to tackle this serious problem.
Title: Monitoring data from the Tackling Gangs Action Programme
Author: Paul Dawson
Number of pages: 19
Date published: May 2008
Availability: Download full report 
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Monitoring of the implementation of TGAP found:
- Analysis of recorded crime data in the TGAP areas showed:
- the lack of a control group and a longer follow-riod to attrthe chy to the work reduced by 51 perronces) during the period of TGAP's operation, a greater rduction then seen in the same period in the previous two years.downward
- firearm offences overall also showed a decrease during the TGAP period (27%; from 165 offences in October to 120 in February) but there was no clear trend when compared to the previous two years.
- Respondents who lived in the TGAP areas were statistically significantly more likely to report they had seen more police activity in their own area over the last six months compared with the rest of the country.
- An analysis of gang members in TGAP areas identified by the police showed they were predominantly young, Black Caribbean and male, often with extensive criminal histories. Characteristics of the gang members varied across different parts of the country, with Liverpool particularly differing from the other three TGAP areas in relation to ethnicity where gang members were predominantly White.
Background
Although recorded firearm crimes are relatively rare, accounting for just 0.3% of all recorded crime, they are not evenly distributed across the country and they disproportionately occur in a handful of geographic regions. The four TGAP force areas (London, Merseyside, West Midlands and Greater Manchester) have the highest levels of firearm crime per head of population in the country and are well above the England and Wales average (Povey et al., 2008).
Approach
Implementation of TGAP was supported by monitoring activity. Police recorded firearm offences, the characteristics of the target group, (gang members), and the public's perceptions of crime were analysed. Given the short time-frame and absence of well-matched comparison areas, it was not possible to establish a proven connection between the work of TGAP and any changes observed.
Findings
Early indicative findings from the analysis of police recorded crime
The crime data examined were police recorded firearms data for the TGAP neighbourhoods receiving interventions. These data are a proxy for gang-related violence as gang-related crimes are not currently flagged or identified separately in administrative criminal statistics. It should also be borne in mind that the exact proportion of firearm offences linked to gang activity is not known. Knife crime data were not available for all of the TGAP areas.
Recorded firearm-related injuries in all TGAP areas
Analysis of recorded firearm injuries from the start of TGAP to the end of the programme (defined as October 2007 to the end of February 2008) showed the number of monthly recorded firearm-related injuries across all four of the TGAP areas had decreased by 51% (from 93 to 46 offences) to its lowest point since October 2005. Note that the numbers involved are small and reductions had also occurred in the previous two years, although to a lesser degree: 25% reduction in 2005/06 (21 offences) and 11% (seven offences) in 2006/2007. (See Figure B14).( (
Recorded firearm-related crime in all TGAP areas
Analysis of the number of recorded firearm offences within TGAP areas over time (from September 2005 to the end of February 2008) showed the level of offences fluctuated from month to month and no overall trend was discernible. (See Figure B1).
The sum of recorded firearm offences which occurred during the TGAP intervention period (between October 2007 to February 2008) was compared with the sum of offences in the same time period in the previous two years. The findings indicated that there was a decrease in the number of offences, continuing an existing downward trend, which started between 2005/06 and 2006/07 and continued in 2007/08.
The number of offences per month was also analysed from the start of TGAP interventions to the end of the reporting period and showed a decrease of 27% (from 165 to 120 offences). When the same analysis was repeated for the same time period in the previous two years the findings suggested a mixed picture with no clear overall trend: a 30% reduction in 05/06 (a drop of 45 offences) followed by a small 4% increase (5 offences) in 2006/07. (See Figure B3).
Recorded firearm-related crime in each of the individual TGAP areas
When the sum of recorded firearm offences was analysed for each of the four individual TGAP areas, two localities showed a decrease in the number of recorded firearm offences whilst the other two areas showed an increase. On the basis of data available, it was not possible to explain why this was the case. (See Figures B4 to B11).
Public perceptions of crime in the TGAP areas and nationally
These findings come from the February 2008 Home Office Crime Tracker survey, which measured the public's perceptions of crime and related problems. This survey was targeted at the key areas within TGAP areas suffering from gun and gang crime. Comparisons were made within TGAP areas, and by comparing TGAP to a Great Britain (GB) comparison sample.
Respondents who lived in the TGAP areas were statistically significantly more likely to report they had seen more police activity in their own area over the last six months compared with the rest of the country. TGAP respondents were also more satisfied than their GB counterparts in the handling of crime nationally (31% vs. 22%), although satisfaction rates in respect of tackling gangs locally were the same (36% GB and 35% TGAP).
The majority of respondents from the TGAP areas perceived that, over the last six months, young people were at the same or even greater risk of being in a gang or committing a knife or gun related crime (see Figure B17). Nationally, respondents were more likely to report no change.
TGAP's target groups:
characteristics of gang members identified by the police
Key gang individuals were identified within each TGAP area by the police through local intelligence processes. The individuals identified may not be representative of all gang members. (See Table B1 for full details of characteristics).
A total of 714 (92%) out of the total 774 gang members identified across the four TGAP areas were matched to the Police National Computer (PNC) and criminal history information was obtained on 655 individuals. The remaining 59 (8%) had no identified criminal history. As with any data source based on official criminal histories, the findings detailed below are likely to under-represent the full extent of individuals' criminal activity.
These gang members were predominantly young (mean age 20), Black Caribbean (75%) and male (98% male). These findings are similar to those found by Bullock and Tilley (2002), who used a similar methodology in that they analysed police intelligence information on gangs and those involved in shootings in South Manchester. Characteristics of the identified gang members varied across different parts of the country, with Liverpool particularly differing from the other three TGAP areas. In Liverpool, while the age and gender of gang members was similar to the other areas, gang members were predominantly White.
Gang members had relatively extensive and versatile criminal careers. The 655 individuals who were matched to information held on the PNC were responsible for 7,082 known offences with, on average, 11 convictions each (range 1 to 80 offences). The mean age for their first conviction was 15 years.
Gang members identified had most commonly been convicted of ‘other summary offences' (which includes public order and harassment: 63%), ‘drug offences' (62% convicted), ‘violent offending' (e.g. assault, wounding including robbery: 62%) and ‘acquisitive offences' (theft or burglary: 52%).
Of the known gang members, 186 were matched to the Offender Assessment System (OASys) and reliable data, for the purposes of analysis, were available for 147 offenders. OASys data were only available for adults (18 years and over).
In terms of risk factors, Education, Training and Employability (74%), Criminal Lifestyles and Associates (71%) and Thinking and Behaviour problems (69%) were the top needs identified from those matched. This is comparable to general samples of offenders (Dawson, 2005).
Furthermore, over half (62%) of those matched to OASys had not regularly attended school. In addition, in terms of the matched offenders, the most frequently identified problems were: poor problem-solving skills (86%); impulsivity (85%) and being unaware of consequences (83%). As to criminal lifestyles, the majority (84%) were identified as being easily influenced by criminal associates and as engaging in risk-taking behaviours (84%).
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Last update: Monday, June 02, 2008