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Gang crime? Youth budgets always take a battering
• THE bid by the council to employ ex-gang members to cut a swathe through the rising youth crime figures is a refreshing – and surprising – piece of blue-sky thinking .
But does it go far enough?
In the 1970s and early 80s, when the council had a measured and fairly generously funded youth service, there were a considerable number of youth centres in the borough which attracted teenagers. At a crude level they were simply run to keep youngsters off the street.
Pockets of youth crime, however, could still be found, and gangs of one kind or another persisted albeit, perhaps, on a much smaller scale than today.
In that period what stands out is that the council spent far more on youth services than at present and, most imaginatively, employed teams of “detached youth workers” whose job it was to keep an eye on youngsters, many of whom they knew as they came from the same locality.
Throwing money at a social problem is not necessarily a recipe for success. Often it leads to failure. But the reverse is equally true.
That is if you are not prepared to properly finance a municipal service, you are more than likely to see it fail.
Since the 1990s, youth services have taken a battering. The present administration at the Town Hall pays inadequate attention to it, particularly in deprived areas in Camden Town, Gospel Oak and Somers Town.
The creation of more and better youth centres in the tradition of those of the past isn’t, of course, the answer either. More needs to be done. Youth culture is different from that of 20 or 30 years ago. It could also be argued that then there were fewer alienated and drifting unemployed youngsters.
Little will change today, however, until the council turns its back on the 1990s, recognises the importance of properly organised youth work, and seriously budgets for it.
YEARS ago hospitals, by and large, were kept spick and span. Today, figures show a worrying number of hospitals – including those in Camden – suffer from pest infestations .
What’s the different between the past and the present?
Once, hospitals were kept clean by teams directly employed by the hospital, vigilantly supervised.
Today, hospitals are cleaned by private companies – for profit.
In that sort of financial regime, corners are likely to be cut.
The Tories, who unearthed today’s figures, introduced privatisation into hospitals.
Somehow, they seem unable to draw the obvious conclusion.
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