UNITED KINGDOM

Black young men are far more likely to come into contact with the criminal justice system than White young men. Tom Lloyd looks at why such an imbalance exists.

Youth justice — rough justice

Diamond is 15, Black and from Peckham in south London. Once he saw a White young man arrested for swearing at a police officer. The youth was given a stern talking to and released. When Diamond did the same thing, he got a three-month referral order. Diamond doesn't know the exact circumstances of the White young man's arrest, but he is pretty sure White people are treated differently from Black people. It could be a question of perception, but figures from the Youth Justice Board seem to back up his theory (see box below).

The statistics reveal an imbalance in the way the criminal justice system handles people from different ethnic backgrounds, but not why such a discrepancy exists. The kneejerk reaction is to talk about institutional racism in the police and discrimination against ethnic minorities in general, but although this is undoubtedly a factor, it is not the first thing that most people who work with Black young men say when asked about their treatment. Uanu Seshmi runs the From Boyhood to Manhood Foundation, which works with Black young men in south London who have been, or are likely to be, excluded from school. He says: “I don't want to talk about racism. The truth is that for many Black young boys the lifestyle they choose turns out to be related to antisocial behaviour. It is a lifestyle choice.”

Racism 'excuse'
Seshmi says aspects of Black street culture lead young men into crime. Racism, he says, is used as an excuse to turn against society and embrace a lawless but fashionable way of life.
Anthony Thomas, the director of the Hip Hop Generation think-tank, which looks at social and economic issues around race, also sees the desire for a better lifestyle as a driver for crime. But he says society as a whole is to blame for this because Black young people are more likely to grow up in impoverished areas than White young people, and are likely to get less well-paid jobs.
“The money they earn can't support a family,” he says. “Young people understand this. They see crime as a better avenue.” David Dalgleish, policy development officer for crime and safety at the Black Londoners Forum, believes over-policing is also a problem. “These young people live in very deprived areas,” he argues. “As a result they are policed at a higher rate than in predominantly White areas.” Dalgleish believes fear of crime has become disproportionate to real levels, but people are unwilling to change their views. His view of the situation is bleak. “It is pretty hard to be a Black young person these days in Peckham, Hackney or Brixton and see a light at the end of the tunnel,” he says.

Nevertheless, some organisations are trying to improve the situation. For example, the National Association of Youth Justice (NAYJ) has set up a Black Youth Justice Forum. Pam Hibbert, deputy chair of the NAYJ and principal policy officer at Barnardo's, says this will allow practitioners working with Black young people to share ideas that will feed into the campaigning work of the organisation and lead to open discussion of an issue White people are often scared to address for fear of appearing racist. She believes poverty and discrimination are some of the problems that need to be addressed. “It is clear from the Youth Justice Board research that there is discrimination,” says Hibbert. “It may not be deliberate, but it is still there.” The board is also doing its bit by requiring youth offending teams to have plans to deal with diversity.

Constructive engagement
Chief executive Ellie Roy says: “This is a major issue for us. We need prevention and community involvement, as well as constructive engagement by professionals in the field.”
A pioneering example of this is the Metropolitan Black Police Association's Youth Leadership Programme. One of its key aims is to develop young people so they can challenge statutory agencies such as the police. The project works with 14- to 17-year-olds and was set up in Paddington, although it has now been expanded to other areas of London. Sandra White, education co-ordinator at the association, says it could be rolled out across London in the next two years. It helps to educate officers about Black young people, as well as the other way round. One exercise involves practising stop and search. White says officers are often surprised by the hostile reaction of young people. “It brings to life the reality of the situation,” she says. One group of young people who have passed through the scheme have set up Young Black Positive Advocates, which tries to break down the barriers between young people and the police. Dalgleish says the group does excellent work, but it should not have to: “I question a society in which 15-year-olds are left to do work that the Government and the police should be doing.” A number of other projects around the UK work with Black young men more generally. These are usually based around standard youth work policies such as engagement, but also have a crime-avoidance message.

In Peckham, the From Boyhood to Manhood Foundation has been working with Black young men since 1996 (see Young people's voices box).

Seshmi says there can be a link between exclusion from school and crime, although he adds that exclusion can have the positive effect of forcing individuals to assess their own behaviour. He argues that Black young men often commit crimes because they feel they have been wronged, but need help to understand the effects of their actions. Seshmi says teachers need to receive better training about the needs of Black pupils. “They should do more work with voluntary groups and more training,” he says. The Youth Justice Board's figures are worrying. They do not show that the criminal justice system is inherently racist, but they do suggest elements within it are. What they hint at is a complicated problem that goes right to the heart of society. As the Black Londoners Forum and Hip Hop Generation think-tank point out, poverty is still a major driving force behind crime and heavy-handed policing still targets the problem without addressing the cause. And for young men such as Diamond, the statistics reflect an everyday reality.

Young people's voices
What Black young people at the From Boyhood to Manhood Foundation in Peckham, south London, think about the police
I came from Jamaica in the summer. It's all right here, but I don't like the weather. From Boyhood to Manhood is a good centre. I wasn't kicked out of school, I'm just here because I missed the start of the year. Ode, 16

I've been in trouble, but just for silly things. A lot of the time I wasn't doing anything. It's good here at From Boyhood to Manhood — it keeps our heads straight. Samson, 15

I think the police do their job. Black people do commit more crime. From Boyhood to Manhood helps you to get back into school. Leon, 14

I don't like the police because they pull me up all the time. They stop me more than they would if I was White. I've been in trouble with them a couple of times. Some of them are racist, but not all of them. Ruben, 15

If one Black boy gets in trouble for a big thing, they think everyone else is involved. This centre is the only place that can help me out. These people will back me up 100 per cent. Diamond, 15.

3 November 2004
http://www.ypnmagazine.com/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=full_news&ID=5478

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