The projects will include work with children and young
people at risk of criminal involvement, organisations
safeguarding those at risk of gang exploitation and
county lines, or who have already offended to help
divert them into positive life choices.
Announcing the recipients, Home Secretary said:
As well as taking immediate action to curb knife
crime, we need a longer-term approach to prevent our
young people from getting drawn into a life of crime
in the first place.
That is why early intervention – alongside tough law
enforcement – is at the heart of our Serious Violence
Strategy.
This money will fund a range of projects that focus
on diverting vulnerable youngsters and those who have
already offended away from crime.
The Early Intervention Youth Fund follows the
innovative new measures announced by the Home Secretary
last month:
- plans for a new legal duty to underpin a ‘public
health’ approach to tackling serious violence, for
which a consultation is due to be launched shortly
- a new £200 million Youth Endowment Fund, to be
delivered over 10 years
- an independent review of drug misuse to ensure law
enforcement agencies and policy teams are targeting and
preventing the drug-related causes of violent crime
effectively
The government also continues to deliver the 61
commitments outlined in the Serious Violence Strategy.
An Offensive Weapons Bill to restrict access to
dangerous weapons is currently before Parliament, a new
£3.6 million National County Lines Coordination Centre
to disrupt violent drug gangs was launched in September
and a £1.4 million social media hub to identify and
take down online material inciting violence will open
early 2019.
