"Tell it like it
is" - MPA seeks young people's views on policing
in London
METROPOLITAN POLICE
AUTHORITY News Release (MPA 02/08) issued by The Government News
Network on 23 January 2008
The Metropolitan
Police Authority wants to hear directly from young Londoners about
their experiences of policing. The results of the MPA Youth Survey
(http://www.mpa.gov.uk/issues/youth/survey.htm)
will help the Authority to make recommendations that will improve
the service the Met provides to young people.
Launching the MPA Youth Survey, which asks young Londoners to
share the experiences they and their friends have had of policing
in the capital, MPA member Richard Sumray said:
"The MPA is carrying out a detailed scrutiny to explore the
causes, effects and impacts of young people's involvement in
crime as victims, witnesses and perpetrators, and how this
influences their interactions and relationships with the MPS.
"An important aspect of our scrutiny is our willingness to
hear directly from young people - in their own words - about the
problems they face and what they believe would make a real
difference. What do young people think would help improve the
services both the police and partner agencies offer them?
"Many adult practitioners, professionals and commentators
are currently airing their views on why young people become
victims or perpetrators of crime.
"But we rarely hear the views of young people themselves.
That's why we're talking directly to young people in
focus groups and making our survey widely available to enable many
more to participate. It's anonymous, can be completed online,
and will help make a positive change."
The MPA hopes, through listening to London's young people, to:
* identify ways to reduce young people's involvement in
crime as victims, witnesses and perpetrators
* improve the confidence of young people to report crime and
engage with the police as witnesses
* halt the decline in age of young victims and perpetrators of crime
* address the criminalisation of young people in public discourse
* improve MPS strategy, policy and corporacy with regard to young people
* analyse how the MPS uses resources in this area; and
* improve the MPS's involvement in partnership work with
young people.
It is important that young people themselves have a voice in this debate.
Notes to editors
1. The MPA Youth Survey is being circulated to youth groups in
hard copy and is also available for young people to complete
online at: http://www.mpa.gov.uk/issues/youth/survey.htm
2. Further information about the MPA Youth Scrutiny is available
at: http://www.mpa.gov.uk/issues/youth
Website: http://www.mpa.gov.uk