Our approach to reducing violent crime
We apply a public health approach to violent crime, including serious youth violence, which treats violence as a preventable public health issue rather than solely a police enforcement matter.
It centres around the following key areas:
This includes factors such as childhood or adolescent trauma, mental ill-health and socioeconomic status.
We’re working with both internal and external partners to ensure that we’re tackling serious violence in the round.
Internal partners include our Children and Families Services (CFS) and safeguarding teams, our Integrated Gangs Unit (IGU), our Youth Justice team and Young Hackney.
Externally, we work closely with voluntary and community sector organisations, local parents, schools, youth hubs and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), London Fire Brigade and the Mayor of London’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC).
We work to reduce crime by recognising and addressing the issues that put certain people at risk of becoming involved in crime.
This is not about delivering a soft approach to violent crime, but rather a smart, proactive approach which works to prevent violence, divert people away from crime, and where necessary, enforce against those who pose a risk to others.
As part of our early intervention approach, we’re working to stamp out the inequalities that leave young people vulnerable to exploitation and grooming – such as socioeconomic disadvantage and racial profiling.
We’re running a programme to listen to and tackle the structural challenges that can impact on outcomes for young black men and our Young Hackney team offers specific support for young people who’ve been affected by discrimination or inequalities.
It’s key that communities are at the core of shaping policies that affect them.
We’ve established forums for Hackney’s young people, such as the Hackney Young Futures Commission, to ensure that local young people’s voices are heard.
Community Resilience Partnership (CRP)
Our Community Resilience Partnership brings together local government and community voices to develop community-shaped solutions around the prevention of violent crime and disorder.
We’re also committed to developing hyperlocal partnerships which recognise the many assets and strengths of communities. Building on existing work with partners in Pembury, Woodberry Down and Kings Park, we’re developing a network which will help strengthen our approach to tackling serious violence across Hackney.
Find out more about our approach to reducing violent crime.
Where to get help
Call the police on 999.
If you have information about a crime, or in non-emergencies, call the police on 101.
You can make silent calls to police if you can’t speak freely by dialling 999 then, when prompted to do, so press 55.
You can call the police in emergencies on 18000 or 18001 101 in non-emergencies.
You can also text 999 if you’ve pre-registered for the Emergency SMS service on Relay UK.
Support for victims and witnesses of crime
- Ii you’ve been affected by crime, you can contact North London Victim Support for free local support on 0808 186 9291 (8am-8pm Monday to Friday) or 0808 1689 111 at all other times. You can also request support on their website
- if you need support around bereavement due to the murder or manslaughter of a family member, you can speak to the National Homicide Service on 0300 303 1984 or HSsupport@victimsupport.org.uk. Find out more about the support that the National Homicide Service offers
Young people-specific support
Victim Support’s pan London Children and Young People service provides confidential support for children and young people who have been victims or witnesses of youth violence.
Find out more about the service and how you can make a referral for one-to-one support.
Young Hackney, the Council’s service for all young people aged 6-19 and up to 25 with additional needs, also provides a range of advice for young people on staying safe.
Page updated on: 22 August 2022