Crimebeat hits 100 mark
The 100th project of Crimebeat, which has funded 17 crime-beating projects in Stratford, sees young people from a Warwickshire primary school get into the pantomime spirit with an adaptation of Sleeping Beauty.
The youngsters from Newdigate Primary in Bedworth received a £500 grant from Crimebeat to stage their own version of the popular pantomime. The storyline has been altered to include important messages around burglary.
The Crimebeat initiative was set up in 2002 in Warwickshire by the High Sheriff and is delivered by the County Council’s Positive About Young People. It brings together the Police, Probation, local authorities, education and other agencies involved with young people aged 5 to 25.
Through the support of local charitable trusts, businesses and individuals, Crimebeat secures funding which it then channels into the community.
Young people can apply to Crimebeat for grants of up to £500 to support projects that tackle the following:
· Help reduce fear of crime
· Reduce vandalism
· Reduce theft
· Improve public safety
· Reduce bullying in and out of school
High Sheriff of Warwickshire, Balraj Singh Dhesi, said: “Warwickshire Crimebeat has been very proactive in getting amongst the communities and engaging the young people. We give them ownership of a project with the help of our co-ordinators and this helps to establish a community spirit at an early age.”
To date 17 projects have taken place in Stratford including the Crime Concern day where 30 young people were taught fire safety, drugs awareness and self defence while a further project in Alcester at the Cyber Club saw young people involved in creating murals on buildings to avert vandalism.
Councillor Izzi Seccombe, Warwickshire County Council portfolio holder for children’s services, said: “We have a very positive attitude towards young people and know that, when engaged, they can be a very powerful force in the community. I am very pleased that, at such young ages, these children have shown responsibility and put out a very strong message that will shape their own attitudes towards crime in the future.”
Youth crime statistics
· Almost 20% of 12-30 year olds admit to committing one or more offences in the last 12 months with those aged 14-21 the most likely offenders
· The average age for boy to start offending is 13 but 14 for girls
· 25% of all known offenders are aged under 18
· 3% of all 12-30 year olds have been cautioned or taken to court in the last 12 months on at least one occasion
· The cost to the community, nationally, of youth crime is estimated at £10billion per year.