Simon Foy QPM MPS Commander

Homicide and Serious Crime, Sapphire & Child Abuse Investigation Commands

(Member of London Safeguarding Children Board – MPS lead on Safeguarding)

• Disturbances London 6th to 9th August 2011

• Significant implications for London

• Reviews etc.

• Implications for children & young people

Data & update from investigation (Op Withern) up to 28/11/2011

• 3208 arrests in total – 776 juvenile & 2432 adult

• 2002 arrests have resulted in charge/summons - 513 juvenile & 1489 adult

• Priority offences: arson, assault, burglary, criminal damage, HSG, possession of weapons, robbery & violence offences (Violent Disorder, Affray)

Data & update from investigation (Op Withern) up to 28/11/2011

• 1024 cases have resulted in court:

80 – Community order, 120 – referred to Youth Offending Panel, 31 – Conditional discharge,

389 – Custodial sentence, 62 – Custodial sentence suspended, 68 – fine,

102 – Detention & Training Order, 44 – Acquitted / Dismissed, 50 – Discharged,

72 – Discontinuance, 4 – Supervisory Order, 2 – Other.

• Practitioner discussion on 21/11/2011

• Range of Agencies/Safeguarding leads

• Youth Justice Board presentation

Youth Justice Board data up to midday 12/10/2011

• 514 young people had appeared before the courts in relation to the disturbances - 62% had a previous caution or conviction.

• Of these 514 young people, 182 had been sentenced, with 60 (33%) receiving immediate custody and a further 122 given court convictions.

• Comparisons by ethnicity (where ethnicity was recorded) show that 41% of those young people brought before the courts were from a white ethnic background compared to 76% of the young people in those areas.

Youth Justice Board data up to midday 12/10/2011

• The educational background of 386 young people - 66% were classified as having some form of special educational need (SEN) compared to 21% of all pupils in maintained secondary schools.

• 42% of young people were in receipt of Free School Meals (FSM) compared to 16% of all pupils in maintained secondary schools. It also showed that 64% of 10-17 year olds lived in one of the 20% most deprived areas whilst only 3% lived in one of the 20% least deprived areas.

Broad observations

• The proportion of young people involved in the disturbances varied by area – in London 24% were aged 10 -17 & in Merseyside this proportion was 42%.

• There were 175 young people who were sentenced at youth courts & the average custodial sentence was 7.8 months

• Criminal Histories – it is clear that those that took part in the disturbances were more likely to have a previous conviction than the population as a whole. Of the 10-17 males brought before court, 45% had a least one previous conviction.

Broad observations

• Ethnicity – 41% of young people brought before the courts were from a white ethnic background, 47% from a black or mixed black ethnic background, 6% from an Asian background & 6% from other backgrounds

• Socio economic factors – Young people appearing before the courts came disproportionately from areas with high levels of deprivation.

• 36% of young people were identified as having at least one fixed period exclusion from school during 2009/10

• Of the 364 10-17 year olds appearing before the courts around half achieved the expected Level 4 in English & Maths assessment

Headings for wider consideration by LSCB:

• Consequence definition• Need to adjust processes and planning in

particular areas in the light of experience / evidence

• There are opportunities for early intervention - which are now evidence based

• Potential preventative tactics