Gangs and Youth Violence

Gang membership and or association with gangs can be linked to illegal activity, particularly organised criminal gangs involved in trafficking, drug dealing and violent crime. Children and young people involved with gangs might be victims of violence or pressured into doing things like stealing, enacting violence towards others or carrying drugs or weapons. They might be abused, exploited and put into dangerous situations.

Being part of a peer group is seen as a normal part of childhood development. However, peer groups are less defined and organised than gangs, and membership of peer groups is fairly fluid, i.e., members can come and go as they please.

It’s also relatively normal for groups of children to get together in public places because this allows them to socialise, have fun and potentially do things that they would not be able to get away with whilst under the watchful eyes of adults. For some, this may involve low-level criminality and anti-social behaviour, however, this does not necessarily make them a gang – gangs have clear structures and tasks.

It is important to remember that children who have never been a member of a gang and those who have never enacted violence can be negatively impacted by the issues of gangs and youth violence. Control, violence and threats of harm cause fear and pain across families and communities and any high-risk violence incidents have the potential to cause harm to witnesses and bystanders.

Knife crime – it is known that gangs coerce children and young people to carry and use knives and that children will choose to carry and use knives because they believe they need a weapon for their own protection. The Ben Kinsella Trust looked at information from the Office for National Statistics and found that in the 12 months to March 2025, 52 young people under 25 were killed with a knife or sharp instrument. This included 14 victims who were aged under 16 years old.

Forced begging, busking, shoplifting or pickpocketing - children may be pushed to enact less serious crimes like these initially to test how vulnerable the child might be to further involvement.

Financial exploitation - money laundering by coercing or manipulating children into moving money through their accounts. It can also involve children being pressured into opening an account which is then controlled by the gang.

Modern slavery and trafficking - children can be moved to other areas and forced to provide free labour and/or services. Trafficking does not necessarily involve travel to another country or even long distance nationally.

County lines - refers to drug supply networks (both gangs and organised crime groups) who use children and young people to carry out illegal activity on their behalf. The term originates from the use of dedicated mobile phone lines or other form of “deal line” to sell drugs from cities to suburban and rural areas.

Debt bondage - a form of entrapment which occurs when someone owes money to gangs and is made to do tasks or ‘favours’, such as provide free labour, enact violence, steal, move items, store items and/or sell drugs.

Holding, storing and moving items - gangs use children to store and move things like money, illegal substances and weapons. This distances the exploiters from detection whilst further entrenching victims into dangerous situations whereby victims are compelled to maintain loyalty to their exploiters.

Home invasion or ‘cuckooing’ - where gangs use or take over a vulnerable person’s home for criminal purposes, such as preparing and storing drugs, weapons and cash, and to accommodate individuals (including exploited children) working for a “deal line”.

Coercive internal concealment - involves drugs being hidden in body cavities to avoid detection. Gangs will use threats, physical violence and humiliation to coerce children into inserting drugs in their bodies. These processes are sometimes filmed, as a means of further control. Given its nature, this process could also be sexual abuse.

Sexual exploitation – sexual abuse can be a feature of gangs. Children and young people might appear to consent to sexual activities because they believe they are in a consensual relationship, but the imbalance of power makes true consent unlikely. Gangs sometimes involve themselves in the sex industry, including placing children to be abused in brothels, saunas, massage parlours, on webcams, in sex chat rooms, at escort agencies and lap dancing premises.

When working with parents and carers, practitioners should prioritise a child-centred approach, fostering partnerships to ensure understanding, support and safety.

Remember:

• Collaborative efforts are crucial, especially in cases of suspected harm.

• Practitioners must engage effectively with diverse families, demonstrating empathy, respect and cultural awareness.

• Communication should be clear, inclusive and accessible. Encouraging parental/carer involvement in decision-making and valuing their input is essential.

• Involving families and communities in designing processes fosters a holistic approach to safeguarding children.

• Continuous reflection and adaptation based on feedback from parents and carers enhance practice effectiveness.

• Have you considered if:
  * parents and carers need more support to understand and trust the role of the police and other services?
  * the parents/carers of those students who are impacted by gangs and youth violence are always offered the space to discuss their and their child’s needs and any support which they might benefit from?
  * the setting-to-home communication about any local community risk issues are accurate and accessible to all parents and carers, with consideration given to things like literacy, language and disability?