1. Reluctant Gangsters: Youth Gangs in Waltham Forest
John Pitts
Vauxhall Professor of Socio-legal Studies, University of Bedfordshire

2. Methodology
Review of relevant central/local government/police data and research
54 Interviews with key informants
YOT Caseload survey
Gang seriousness inventory
Literature/research review
Attendance at meetings
Mooching about and chatting

3. Why here? Why now? In the UK in the 1980-1990s
Income polarisation (greatest in Europe)
De-industrialisation (20+% of industrial base lost)
The secession of the successful (via right to buy)
The concentration of disadvantage
The racialisation of disadvantage (London: up to 70% pop. on poorest estate BME: JRF)
By % of UK C&YP live in these neighbourhoods: JRF)
The concentration of criminal victimisation in areas of acute social deprivation

4. In these neighbourhoods crime is:
Youthful: Young people are victims and perpetrators
Implosive: Perpetrated by and against local residents
Repetitive: The same people are victimised again and again
Symmetrical: Victims and offenders are similar in terms of age, ethnicity and class
Violent
Under-reported: Threat of reprisal
Embedded: YP don’t ‘grow out of crime’
Drug-driven: ‘street youth’ become ‘players’ in local drugs markets  

5. From a ‘blag’ to a business
Traditional East End organised crime was based on a series of one-off ‘blags’ followed by long, and sometimes luxurious, vacations.
By the late 1980s bank/post office robbery, lorry hi-jacking etc. was becoming more hazardous
By the 1990s highly lucrative illicit drugs were flooding into the capital and most upper-echelon gangsters moved into the drugs business
But the drugs business requires constant maintenance a large and expanding workforce to manufacture, package, distributes and sell drugs, protect the supply chain and ensures ‘contract compliance’.

6. The Changing Face of London’s Gangland
The Changing Face of London’s Gangland
1950/1970s
Organised Crime:
N. London - The Adams Family
E. London - The Kray Brothers
S. London - The Richardsons
Youth Movements:
Teddy Boys.
Mods
Rockers
Skinheads
Neighbourhood-based/Style-based fighting:
1980s
From the Blag: Bank & Post Office robbery, Hijacking, Protection, Long Firms etc.
To the Business: Drugs
Rude Boys/The Posse: Street
Crime
White Youth: Football Violence
Asian Youth: Anti-Racist fight-
Back/inter-group violence
Neighbourhood-based/ Team-based/Race-based fighting:

7. Organised Crime and Youth Movements Merge
‘Street corner’ youth become the street level workforce
of the international drugs business
Early 2000s
Recognisable gangs with names, territories and division of labour. (Faces, Elders, Youngers/ Soldiers/ Sabbos/Shotters) gang territories become synonymous with drug markets
Mid-2000s
Respect shootings and violent street crime by Elders & Youngers/Soldiers/Sabbos escalate: mainly directed against identified rivals/competitors/enemies

8. Conflict broadens; affiliation with ‘Endz’ (post codes/boroughs),
2006/2007
Conflict broadens; affiliation with ‘Endz’ (post codes/boroughs),
Violence escalates but now more random, directed against unidentified rivals.

9. Meanwhile, back on the Beaumont Estate
Early 1990s: Beaumont Gang small group of professional criminals
By the late 1990s: Beaumont Gang (with Tottenham, Harlesden and Hackney) battle for drug/crack cocaine markets in N. & E. London and win
Beaumont does deals with the 4 Waltham Forest crime families to divi-up local drugs markets
As the market expands the workforce expands and drug dealing territories become gang territories:

10. Upper Eschelon Drug Wholsalers
The Face
Elders
Younger
W.be
Girl Friend
Girl Friendd
Shotter RG
The Articulated Gang

11. The role of the Youngers
To ensure drugs get to the Shotters
To protect drug markets from other gangs
To ‘hang out’ to give early warning of police raids
To patrol territorial boundaries and defend gang territory from other gangs with a ‘beef’.
To enforce contracts for Faces or Elders
To collect debts for Faces or Elders

12. The role of the Youngers
To take revenge/make ‘hits’ on those who disrespect or cheat them or the Faces or Elders
To harass and burgle rival dealers
To undertake street crime to ‘Make their Ps’
To engage in ‘anti-social behaviour’/ intimidation of local residents
To carry drugs/weapons for Elders
To take the rap for elders (incl. ‘doing time’)

13. Manuel Castells (2000) says that, with globalisation, the street gang
Joined-up Youth Crime
Manuel Castells (2000) says that, with globalisation, the street gang
becomes the shop floor
of the international
drugs business

14. Gang Definitions: Hallsworth & Young
Peer Group A small, unorganised, transient grouping occupying the same space with a common history. Crime is not integral to their self definition
Gang: A relatively durable, predominantly street-based group of young people who see themselves (and are seen by others) as a discernible group for whom crime and violence is integral to the group’s identity
Organised Criminal Group: Members are professionally involved in crime for personal gain operating almost exclusively in the ‘grey’ or illegal marketplace.

15. Gang Definitions: Gangs/Groups in Waltham Forest
The Articulated Gang
The Street Gang
The Compressed Street Gang
The Wannabee Gangsters
The Criminal Youth Group
The Middle Level International Criminal Business Organisation

16. Gang Affiliations in Waltham Forest
Piff
City
Beaumont
Priory
Court
Harlesden Crew
Hackney:
Love of Money Crew,
Holly St. Boys & Mothers Square
Boundary/
Monserrat Boys
Drive
Atlee Terrace, Wood St. Marlow. Coppermill
Chingford
Hall
Cathall
Langthorne
Oliver Cl.
Canhall
Tottenham
Man Dem Crew
Russian
Gang
Highams Park Gang
Hackney Overground Commuters
New World Order
Stratford/
Forest Gate Gangs
Asian Auto Theft to Order Boundary
Hackney
North Star
Brookscroft/Barrier Boys
Lithuanian Gang
Polish
Hackney E9 Bang Bang
Red African Devils
Gang Affiliations in Waltham Forest
Key
Antagonistic relationships
between gangs
Alliances Between Gangs
Out of Borough Gangs

17. The Gangs of Waltham Forest The Met. Harm Assessment Scale
Crime Type Score/Sentence
Possess/Use Drug
Supply Drug 25
Disorder (Affray) 3
Low Level Assault (ABH)
Serious Assault (GBH) 25
Kidnap
Murder/Manslaughter 25
Possession/Use Knife 4
Possession/Use Firearms 25
Vehicle Crime (TWOC) 5
Burglary/Theft (no violence) 14
Robbery/Street Crime
Fraud/incl. Money Laundering 14

18. The Gangs of Waltham Forest The Met. Harm Assessment Scale
Beaumont (30-40) (max. score)
Piff City (100) (max. score)
Priory Court (20-30) 169
Red African Devils (6-10) (est.)
Drive (30-40)
Boundary/Monserrat ( 20-30) 120
Canhall (30)
Barrier/Brookscroft (10-20) 41.5
Highams Park (5-10) 35
Hackney Overground Communters 35
New World Order (6-10)
Asian Auto Theft (10) (est.)
Russian/Lithuanian/Polish Gangs (20) Unknown

19. Reluctant Gangsters: YOT Caseload Survey (N=59)
42% of caseload is gang involved
Core Member %
Regular Member %
Ambivalent Member %
Reluctant Member %
TOTAL
40% of them are Reluctant Gangsters

20. Reluctant Gangsters
They have no previous record, are good school attendees and have a good attitude. But they are coming into the YOT for ‘joint enterprise’ because they were present at the scene.
Some kids say they were made to do things by Elders. Many of them don’t necessarily approve of what they are doing. Most kids would rather be doing something else. But gang culture prevents participation. They are frightened to be seen as a ‘pussy’ or to become a target of violence.

21. Reluctant Gangsters
There were a brother and a sister; he was 15 and she was 14. Never been in trouble. They told them to do a robbery. But they said no. So they beat him up and raped her.
So he tells ‘em ‘fuck off’. Anyway, the next thing he knows, someone’s shot-up his mother’s flat. There’s lots of families round here can’t use their front rooms because of this sort of thing.”

22. Reluctant Gangsters
Affiliation because of the risks to oneself and one’s family from non-affiliation
Affiliation for protection from other gangs/crews
Affiliation to gain access to educational/recreational resources in gang territory
Affiliation because of lack of access to legitimate opportunity
Continued affiliation because of dangers inherent in leaving the gang

23. Reluctant Gangsters
Telling these families to take responsibility for their kids behaviour is like telling them to take their kids into the jungle and take responsibility for them not getting eaten by lions and tigers.

24. The Impact of Gangs: Neighbourhoods
For five or six years a group of 16 to 18 years olds was terrorising John Walsh and Fredwig Towers. They would wait at the bottom of the lift and take money, mobile phones, clothes that they fancied, even a dog, from the residents. A younger sister also had these terrible parties in the foyer but nobody complained. The Police had been trying to prosecute for years but because of witness intimidation, residents stayed quiet. These kids came to believe they were untouchable.

25. The Impact of Gangs: Neighbourhoods
As far as they are concerned we don’t exist, and even if we do, we are just some kind of problem that won’t go away. I sometimes think the best thing we could do would be to go out and vote and demand that our politicians listen to what’s happening to us.

26. The Impact of Gangs: Schools and Colleges
If they think I did that (told the police) we (my family) will have to leave the country) we have already moved once because of threats from gangs.
One of my year 10 students was recently gang-raped. I talked to her and her mother. They are obviously very frightened and the mother insists that it was consensual. The girl won’t come to counselling because she is afraid of being seen to talk to anyone in authority about it.

27. The Impact of Gangs: Schools and Colleges
In September 2006, students at XXX College reported they were being told not to use the college by members of the CH gang.
FE colleges ‘belong’ to particular gangs. GM is CH’s and B’s, WF College is PC’s, B’s and B1’s
In WF College, in 2006, two members of OC were stabbed by members of D.

28. The Impact of Gangs: The Youth Service
Young people and workers are subject to threats and intimidation if we work with non-gang-involved young people in certain areas. I think the danger is that social strategies could be paralysed by territorialism. This is happening in schools and colleges and if it continues we could see the gangs effectively paralysing public services.

29. The Impact of Gangs: The Criminal Justice System
We have to bus youngsters in to group work programmes; otherwise it’s just too dangerous
They scheduled a B trial and an OC trial on the same day in the same court. Luckily a couple of my officers spotted the guys with the guns and stopped them getting into court, otherwise …

30. How many people are affected by gangs?
Core 40
Soldiers 160
Wannabees 250
 Reluctant gangsters 250
C&YP directly affected 700
C&YP indirectly affected 1,400
Family members affected 6000

31. Responding to Gangs (OJJDP)
Organizational change: Multi-agency working/development
Community/professional Leadership
Community mobilization: Local citizens and organizations are involved in a common enterprise.
Suppression: Arrest and prosecution
Social intervention: Reaching YP unconnected with social institutions.
Social opportunity: Age appropriate opportunity via multi-agency teams

32. Responding to Gangs Operation Ceasefire (Boston) I
Coordinated leverage on gangs through highly publicised multi-agency crackdowns precipitated by certain specified behaviours i.e. possession or use of knives and firearms, harassment and serious assaults.
Enhancing community relations to get local support for targeted crackdowns and stimulate community ‘collective efficacy’ in informal social control and the reduction of incivilities

33. Responding to Gangs Operation Ceasefire II
Engagement with gang members
To elicit information, to transmit consistent messages about targeted crackdowns and provide diversionary social, educational, recreational, training and vocational services for members and those on the fringes of the gangs.

34. A Seven Point Gang Strategy for Waltham Forest
Coordinated leverage
Enhancing community relations
Engaging with gang members
Mediation
Targeted Protection
Sensitisation of agencies (Sect. 17 C&DA)
School-based anti-gang-initiatives

35. 5 A Four level Gang Intervention Model
The Intervention The TargetGroup
Level 1.
PPO/Police/Trident/ISSP
This level of work is undertaken by MMAGS and X-it
Targeted intervention with core gang members: Elders/Youngers, enforcement, intensive problem-solving, mediation and the development of alternative futures via education, training and employment
Level 2.
YIP/ Extended School/FE Colleges and Specialist Voluntary Youth Serving Agencies. This level of work is undertaken by MMAGS, X-it and the Anderlecht Initiative
Targeted intervention with Youngers and those seriously ‘at risk’ of serious gang involvement like some overly enthusiastic Wannabees. Intensive problem-solving and the development of alternative futures via education, training and employment
Level 3.
LA Outreach Team supported by the Police. This level of work is undertaken by the Anderlecht Initiative
Targeted intervention with moderately ‘at risk’ and gang-affected groups: lower level; Wannabees and Reluctant Gangsters: problem-oriented and social-educational interventions
Level 4.
Housing Associations, Schools/LA Outreach Team/Voluntary Youth Serving Agencies/NGOs/Sports Clubs, supported by the Police. This level of work is currently undertaken by the LA Outreach Team and Housing Assns.
Area-based (universal) social- educational/ recreational youth and community interventions

36. Elders
Younger
Wannabees
Reluctant Gangsters
Safer Neighbourhoods Team
POLICE
Targeted Protection
School Operational Team
POLICE intelligence-led Policing
Waltham Forest Multi-Agency Gang Strategy Team Enforcement
Police, Probation, YOT
Intelligence and Information
Police
Social Intervention
Social Services, Youth Service, housing
Education, Training, Work
Education, FE, connexions
Mediation
Parents Against Violence, Mediators
Participation
Social Cohesion Worker
Waltham Forest Gang Forum
Young People
Parents/Adults
Senior Managers
Professionals
FOUR LEVEL INTERVENTION
Project Coordinator
A Proposed Structure of a Comprehensive Gang Strategy for Waltham Forest