Preventing gangs and violence will be part of landlords broader aims under plans outlined by the Home Office today.
Home secretary Theresa May will announce a range of measures to tackle gang crime, including tougher sentencing and policing, following the civil disorder in England during August.
The government’s new strategy on gangs is expected to say gangs cannot simply be seen as an issue for the police – other agencies, including health, education, housing and job centres, should see preventing violence as part of their responsibility.
The strategy will also include plans for controversial call-ins for gang members who have not yet committed a crime, and plans to tackle girl gangs.
Ms May told The Sun newspaper that £11 million of government funds would be used to create a 100-strong task force who will enforce the anti-gang blueprint across the UK.
Mick Kent, chief executive of housing association Bromford, said: ‘Every day we witness the problems that gangs cause in their communities. Girls may be sexually exploited by gangs, families threatened, young people forced into joining gangs they would rather not join, communities destroyed.
‘Despite convictions suggesting that gangs did not play as strong a part in those riots, the impact of gangs on society is worsening. The type of intervention required must be productive and offer young people another option. ‘We need to empower young people to resist any attempt to make them join a gang and see a future outside of that. Part of that is through supporting families, so that gangs are not allowed to be seen as the alternative to the loyalties, discipline and stability normally found in the family nucleus.’
Last week, Bromford launched No Postcodes – a young people against gang culture campaign
supported by a YouTube video.