Funding for pioneering project helps steer young people away from crime in Leicestershire

PCC Rupert Matthews says he is impressed by the impact of the project.

A Leicestershire project to prevent young people from black and minority ethnic communities from slipping into crime has received a funding boost.

Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland PCC Mr Matthews provided nearly £10,000, from his Safety Fund, to the African Network Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to deliver a crime prevention and training programme to help young people better understand the criminal justice system.

The network says limited knowledge of what constitutes a crime or anti-social behaviour, and the role of the criminal justice system in maintaining order, is part of the reason why some young people from black or minority ethnic communities find themselves in conflict with the law. This can sometimes be the case when they arrive from another country and are arrested for an offence that is legal in their home country.

Mr Matthews said: “It is vital we deliver meaningful solutions to some of the practical problems and disadvantages young people face which increase their vulnerability to crime. This project is an excellent example of how this is being achieved.

“Giving young people a hands-on understanding of law and justice can provide a catalyst for behaviour change. I’m impressed with the impact the project has made so far and will be monitoring further results to see how we can learn from this approach in the future.”

The programme includes visits to police stations, cells, courts and young offenders’ prisons to address misconceptions. It also hosts guest speakers such as magistrates and police officers.

Network chairman Dr Denis Tanfa said: “The project supports the relevance of education in building family and community cohesion, and hence community violence crime prevention.

“The value of the training in fostering social cohesion is supported by Albert Bandura’s theory of social learning. Social learning implies that people especially children who grow up in communities where violence is seen as a way of solving disputes/conflicts tend to believe that such behaviour is acceptable and rewarding. These theorists believe that the social environment is the most important factor in acquiring most pattern of behaviour”.”

Visit https://youtu.be/OPZUdJDAhWE to view a video on the African Network and how the funds are being used.