Five English cities have been chosen to adopt a US-inspired programme designed to tackle violent youth crime.

Coventry, Nottingham, Leicester, Manchester and Wolverhampton are to use ‘focused deterrence’, pioneered Boston in the mid-1990s to address the escalation in gun-related murders.

In 2008, Glasgow tackled gang warfare and gang violence with the same approach.

Nottingham has such a reputation for violent crime, locals call it ‘Shottingham’.

The deterrent scheme has reduced crime by a third.

Research has shown that – on average – focused deterrence strategies reduce crime by 33 per cent.
The Home Office and the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) are funding the new programme, investing £3 million and £4 million respectively.

Focused deterrence is a multi-faceted approach pulling in police, councils, health services, probation and education to zone in on individuals aged 14 years and over who are involved or at risk of becoming involved in violent crime.

The initiative will last until August 2025.

Policing Minister Chris Philp said: “In March 2019 the Home Office committed to supporting the YEF with a ten-year mandate and £200 million of funding to help prevent young people becoming involved in violence.

“Focused deterrence is proven to reduce crime. This £7 million programme will offer young people a route out, combining community support and mentoring to encourage them to seek help, as well as swift enforcement action to divert them away from violence”.

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