Monday, June 25, 2007

Gun Crime in London and Manchester. A Trade Union Response.


At the UNISON conference (see post) last week there was a well attended joint fringe event with North West Region, chaired be London Regional Convener, Alan Jarman, with guest speakers David Michaels (Lewisham Police Consultative Committee) and Mick Hurley from MMAGS (Manchester, Multi Agency Gang Strategy—a group made up of criminal justice statutory agencies)

This was a thought provoking, intelligent and quite emotional fringe as delegates from both London and the North West, who live and work in communities overshadowed by gun crime, shared their experiences with the speakers.

Conroy Lawrence (left), London Lewisham Health, shared his family’s pain of the loss of his son, Justin Morgan, to gun crime in 2004. No-one has yet been brought to face justice for his murder. As a victim, Conroy pointed out that support for families devastated by gun crime, tails off after time. Only the media continue to contact him.

Peter Daley, Wandsworth LG, reminded everyone that tackling gun crime is a UNISON imperative—following an act of violence it will be UNISON members in the police and civilian staff who will receive the emergency call and send help. The paramedics, first on the scene, will be members, as will the nurses and hospital workers who will try and save the victims. The aftermath will often be dealt with by UNISON members in Social Services.

Raz Dowdall also pointed out the positive role of UNISON members in tackling this problem as youth workers in after-school clubs and as teaching assistants in local schools. The meeting agreed that UNISON members need to participate personally with their community but they should also campaign as members for more and better preventative facilities to include marginalised youths. UNISON should, with its campaigning skills and political connections with governments and councils, work to bring about change.

It was pointed out that this is not solely a "black issue". The black community did not invent "gun crime". Even nowadays, 40 years after the Krays, there are numerous white criminals carrying guns and using them to murder and harm in London and the North West.

The meeting closed in a very positive and constructive mood, not least due to the contribution by Khi Rafe (Lambeth LG) whose 12 year old son Ishmael “her baby” spoke so eloquently about growing up in the city and how gang membership was not for him despite the pressures that his fellow young people feel.

The Regional Convener in closing the meeting, challenged all present to go back challenged all present to go back to their localities to ensure that they campaigned for more cohesive communities including the issues raised by Ishmael about the lack of children’s and young people’s services.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

A NEW SONG ABOUT KNIFE CRIME

I am a singer/ artist and i am very concerned about the rise in crime
especially teenage knife crime.

I know it came as a shock to the rest of the nation but it was no
shock to me. because few years ago the government imposed a new law
that parents cannot physically discipline their children, now those
children have grown up and we are reaping what our government sew.

Few days ago i spoke to a parent whose 12-year-old daughter called the
police on her because she confiscated her daughters mobile phone.
What kind of society is the government trying to create, when parents
are raising their children in fear and you and i know that you can no
way raise a teenager in fear. Just think back to when u were a teen.
These teens are only going to get worse and if the government don't
allow parents to do their job, soon there's going to be huge
stand-offs between police and teens. NO BODY CAN DISARM A TEENAGER BUT
HIS/HER PARENTS. I think is better for a teenager to get few marks
from physical discipline from their parents than to get life in
prison. Don't you think?

I have written a song that reflects these words, and it is called 'WHY ?'
I believe the nation needs to hear it.
So if you agree help me spread the word.
You can listen to it on www.myspace.com/frankynero
Song is called "why?"
Thank you

John Gray said...

Hi Franky
Thank you for your post. I did enjoy listening to your song. Good luck with your musical career.

You are right we do need to do things about knife crime and I think the role of parents is as you point out - vital. I am not sure that allowing parents further rights to physically punish their children is the right way forward. It is actually perfectly legal for parent to physically punish. They have the legal right for “reasonable chastisement". Which I think is fine; even though I would rather no adult ever hit any child. Beating with belts or sticks etc however, is a serious crime.

I think increasing education opportunities, reducing poverty and supporting vulnerable families is the key. There must also be effective policing and swift justice.

We have to somehow resolve the problem that many parents I know do hit their kids but don't see the point of going to a parents evening at School.

In fact I am willing to bet that most kids who carry knifes have in fact been hit by their parents.

Does violence beget violence?