Deadline: 15 March 2023
The CSJ’s Criminal Justice Unit is launching a call for evidence to understand how sport and physical activity can be harnessed to divert young people away from crime, providing positive pathways into education, employment or training.
Our landmark polling revealed that 45% of children aged 10 to 17 have experienced youth antisocial behaviour; and over half of parents are concerned about their child’s safety travelling home from school.
Though rare, teenage homicide in London reached it deadliest peak in 2021, with 30 teens murdered in the capital1. While overall crime is on a downward trend, violent crime has been steadily increasing as a proportion of youth offending over the last ten years and now accounts for 32% of all youth offences2. Around 50,000 people aged 10 to 17 were arrested last year.
Meanwhile, investment in prevention – including activities designed to keep young people out of trouble – has decreased substantially in recent years. For example, there has been a 70% real-term decline in local authority spend on youth services since 2010, with more than 4,500 youth work jobs cut and 760 youth centres shut down.
Despite the growing body of evidence to support the role of sport in crime desistance it is still not being utilised to its fullest potential by the Government.
Who can take part in the call for evidence?
We want to canvass views across a range of stakeholders including but not limited to sports clubs, national governing bodies, local authorities, violence reduction units, academics, prison and probation services, policing, schools, the charity sector, and people with lived experience of antisocial behaviour, youth violence, or the criminal justice system.
We are particularly interested in hearing from young people themselves. If you or your organisation is able to facilitate this, please indicate that in the ‘staying in contact’ section below.
Please submit your response to Sabrina.hummel@centreforsocialjustice.org.uk by 15th January 2022. Please contact Sabrina by email if you have any questions.