"Tell it like it is" - MPA seeks young people's views on policing in London

02/08
23 January 2008

The Metropolitan Police Authority wants to hear directly from young Londoners about their experiences of policing. The results of the MPA Youth Survey (www.mpa.gov.uk/issues/youth/survey.htm)  will help the Authority to make recommendations that will improve the service the Met provides to young people.

Launching the MPA Youth Survey, which asks young Londoners to share the experiences they and their friends have had of policing in the capital, MPA member Richard Sumray said:

"The MPA is carrying out a detailed scrutiny to explore the causes, effects and impacts of young people's involvement in crime as victims, witnesses and perpetrators, and how this influences their interactions and relationships with the MPS.

"An important aspect of our scrutiny is our willingness to hear directly from young people - in their own words - about the problems they face and what they believe would make a real difference. What do young people think would help improve the services both the police and partner agencies offer them?

"Many adult practitioners, professionals and commentators are currently airing their views on why young people become victims or perpetrators of crime.

"But we rarely hear the views of young people themselves. That's why we're talking directly to young people in focus groups and making our survey widely available to enable many more to participate. It's anonymous, can be completed online, and will help make a positive change."

The MPA hopes, through listening to London's young people, to:

• identify ways to reduce young people's involvement in crime as victims, witnesses and perpetrators
• improve the confidence of young people to report crime and engage with the police as witnesses
• halt the decline in age of young victims and perpetrators of crime
• address the criminalisation of young people in public discourse
• improve MPS strategy, policy and corporacy with regard to young people
• analyse how the MPS uses resources in this area; and
• improve the MPS's involvement in partnership work with young people.

It is important that young people themselves have a voice in this debate.

Notes to editors

The MPA Youth Survey is being circulated to youth groups in hard copy and is also available for young people to complete online at: www.mpa.gov.uk/issues/youth/survey.htm

Further information about the MPA Youth Scrutiny is available at: www.mpa.gov.uk/issues/youth

Further media information

For further information, please contact the MPA press office 

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