What is a gang?

What does the law say?

Myths and Realities

Who can help?

What is a gang?

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A gang is a group who see themselves and are seen by others as a gang, and for whom crime and violence are a central part of their activities, for example robbery and drug dealing.

Most young people hang around in large groups, this does not make them a gang, it is not illegal – it is only the criminal offences committed that are illegal.

There are three types of groups most commonly referred to as gangs:

Peer groups - small, unorganised groups that come together in public spaces.  These groups are not based on criminal activity. Offences are often low-level nuisance or anti-social.

Organisational gangs - a well structured business based on high level criminal activity such as drug markets.  Organisational gangs carry out specific acts of serious violence to protect their business. 

Urban street groups - a group of individuals who have close association through the area they have grown up in, the school they have attended, family or other networks. They have an identity and commit a range of anti social behaviour and criminal activity.

Gangs are mostly formed through family, locality, school or prison connections.

The internet is used by some street gangs as a mean of enhancing their status.

What does the law say?

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It is illegal to carry any knife or to keep any prohibited firearm, or to carry any firearm (including imitation) within a public place – even carrying it for someone else.

Carrying an unlawful firearm carries a sentence of 5 years.

There is a 2-4 year sentence for possessing a knife in a public area.

A police officer (whether in uniform or not), and police community support officer (only in uniform) can stop and search anyone if believed to be carrying a gun, knife or other weapon or if believed to be involved with any other criminal activity.

School staff can also search young people for weapons on school premises.

Myths and Realities

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Although for many young people living in London gangs are an everyday part of life and if you watch the TV, listen to the radio or read a paper today, there will always be a mention of ‘gang related attack’ or ‘gang related incident’.  It is very important that we understand the facts about gangs which many of us are not aware of. 

Below are some important myths, with the following realities concerning gangs:

All gang members are involved in serious violent crime

The number of gang members involved in serious violence as a part of gang behaviour remains very small compared with the overall offending population            

All street gangs progress into organised criminal networks

A very small number of street gangs who have pursued criminal activity for a number of years have moved into organised crime

You are safer being in a group or a gang

19 out of the 27 young people murdered in London in 2007 were in groups at the time of the attack, highlighting it’s not always safer to be in a group or gang

The number of teenagers in London killed by gun shot is rising

The number of teenage homicides where a gun shot was the cause has dropped by 50% from 2007-2008

London has one of the highest homicide rates in Europe

Compared to other major European cities such as Paris or Berlin, London has the lowest homicide rate

All of the young people murdered in London were gang related

52% of the young people who were murdered in 2007 were gang related