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Youth Gangs select committee by Sarah Harvey

Youth gangs are a national problem and measures preventing young people joining them will be in the South Island within 12 months, Ministry of Social Development national gang manager said at a select committee meeting yesterday.

By Sarah Harvey

The representatives were two of four witnesses facing 11 youth MPs at a social development select committee on the first day of the 2007 Youth Parliament in Wellington yesterday.

Ministry of Social Development (MSD) national gangs manager Carl Crafer told the MPs a multi-agency approach, including the Ministries of Justice and Education and the police, had been working with South Auckland gangs since 2005.

The three aspects, crisis reaction, intervention and prevention would be rolled out around the country within 12 months, he said.

MSD national manager for family group conferences said the department realised there was a problem with gangs in the South Island, including Dunedin.

Groups of youths who were causing concern would be targeted and would work in with their peers and with community workers, he said.

A current Black Power member also spoke to the youth MPs.

He had joined the gang as a young boy after becoming disillusioned with his own family life.

He realised his life was heading in a downhill spiral when at 16 he was in prison for aggravated robbery, his dad was in Paremoremo Prison, his brother was in Mt Eden Prison and his sister was in Arowhata Women’s Prison.

He now worked with gangs to try and save the young people from falling into the same trap.

“It is hard for members to ask their children to grow up and not be like them,’’ he said.

Youth needed positive role models and encouragement, he said.

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