'Ticking time bomb': Police commissioner in drive to stop youth crime crisis
Young people could face a "lifetime" of unemployment and crime unless support is brought in to help them through the aftermath of the coronavirus crisis, a police chief has warned.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson has demanded urgent action to avoid a "ticking time bomb" of sky high youth unemployment, which he says will lead to a damaging surge in crime – with more youngsters getting involved in drugs gangs and drunken violence.
The Labour PCC today called for measures including a 'Youth New Deal', based on the 1990s scheme, where employers were given Government cash to provide jobs and training for young people.
He also wants to see extra funding for young people finishing apprenticeships and for distance learning courses.
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His findings have been published in a new report entitled 'A Future Generations Deal', which details a series of schemes to boost employment.
Mr Jamieson said: "I am profoundly concerned about the potentially devastating effect that the current Covid-19 crisis could have on younger people in the West Midlands.
"Most leading economic commentators are predicting a huge rise in unemployment; a hardship that our young people may have to endure for an unspecified period of time. The correlation between unemployment and criminality is well known.
Antisocial behaviour,
"As the year progresses, we could see large numbers of young people find that there is no job for them and they may have very limited opportunity for paid employment once the lockdown is lifted.
"In my view, this is a ticking time bomb. Many of these young people, particularly young men, could well be drawn into antisocial behaviour, which in some cases will graduate into serious violence and crime."
Mr Jamieson said he was also concerned about children missing up to six months of school due to the lockdown, saying they could easily "drift into the hands" of organised criminals and county lines gangs.
"The social and economic cost of inaction at the current time could be considerable," he added. "After the furlough scheme ends, we will be paying vast amounts in unemployment benefits as well as potentially facing a substantial bill for the cost of increased crime.
"We need to use our limited public resources to best effect. This is why I believe we should ensure funding is shifted to encouraging employment, skills and knowledge development and economic activity, rather than funding the consequences of economic collapse.
"Ignoring the urgency of this problem would leave lasting damage for the young people themselves, and for our wider society."
WMP Chief Constable Dave Thompson, said the force was working to ensure plans were in place to deal with the effects on crime when restrictions are lifted.
He added: "I share the PCC’s concern about potential unemployment and its implications on crime. This is a useful report that will help West Midlands Police focus its efforts on protecting young people."
