Christian charity supports MPs who say youth violence in ‘social emergency’

The MPs from the Home Affairs select committee said youth violence is a “national crisis” and a “social emergency” and should be treated as such before more teenagers die because of it.

The report is accusing the Government of not prioritising the issue; however, ministers insist they are boosting police resources and Boris Johnson has announced his commitment to having 20,000 more police officers.

The MPs said they found strong evidence linking deprivation and vulnerability with knife crime and violence and called for a national “youth service guarantee” with ring-fenced funding for statutory services.

Christian charity Crime to Christ agreed with the MPs. The organisation, based in Northampton, supports people involved at any stage of the criminal justice system to help them reduce re-offending.

Crime to Christ’s CEO, Angie Kennedy told Premier: “Youth crime and associated societal problems are coming from the lack of funding right the way across. Here in Northampton, we have issues with funding in the council, local statutory services and in schools, the whole lot. Youth crime, youth involvement, lack of youth engagement is a consequence of all of those due to a lack of funding a lack of contact and a lack of resources.”

Kennedy told Premier the solution involves a much bigger picture: “MPs are calling for more police in schools. But I think that is just a…