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Coronavirus: Concerns Covid could cause rise in serious youth violence
Jul 14, 2020
The social and economic devastation caused by Covid-19 could lead to an increase in serious youth violence in the UK, MPs have warned.
A Youth Violence Commission report says incidents of unemployment, homelessness and trauma sparked by pandemic could impact on vulnerable young people.
It fears 18 Violence Reduction Units in England and Wales could lose funding.
The Home Office says £70m is being spent on the units modelled on a scheme which helped cut crime in Scotland.
BBC Panorama has been investigating how Scotland's VRU - launched in 2005 and the first in the UK - has succeeded in reducing crime.
Karyn McCluskey, the former head of intelligence for Strathclyde Police and one of the founders of the unit, tells the programme they approached youth violence as a health issue, "like a disease".
How Scotland stemmed the tide of knife crime 'Poverty link' to youth violence - London mayor 'Weakened' lockdown has 'woken dormant criminals'
According to the cross-party Youth Violence Commission, long-term investment is needed in youth services and VRUs but the funding is at risk because of the "economic devastation" caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Its report comes after three years of research into the causes of violence in the UK which concludes that poverty and inequality are "fundamental drivers".
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