In 1997, while condemning violence against women and children, Nelson Mandela said: “Our children are our greatest treasure. They are our future.” The same should be said about young people in Newham.

I’m a 19 year old Newham resident. Nelson Mandela’s words resonate with me. Newham has one of the highest populations of young people in the country, and it has a very diverse population. We’re at the epicentre of the national debate about young people.

‘Knife crime’, ‘violence’ and ‘gang culture’ are words that trigger stereotypical thoughts about hooded young black and Asian men. The nation believes violent crime in inner cities is a ‘black problem’. To believe this is to buy into a lie and disregard context.

The link between poverty and violence is proven beyond doubt. Poverty is a breeding ground for violent crime and gang culture. Wherever you find lack of resources, amenities and educational facilities, you find crime and violent crime. We also know the systemic biases that exist have the result of stranding more young black and Asian men in reduced economic circumstances than their white counterparts. The consequences of this can be counted in lives lost to violence.

In London, where many black people live in comparative poverty, we see that although young black people are only 17 percent of the youth population, they are over-represented as both victims and perpetrators of knife crime.

2020 Institute of Race Relations report found that overall young white boys and men are more likely to be both the victims and perpetrators of serious youth violence in London.

What about away from London? Tragically, knife crime is a national issue, affecting areas with virtually no black population. Here, the perpetrators and victims are almost exclusively white, but the national media do not report it as a ‘white issue’.

In reality, knife crime is a poverty issue and an education issue. Poorer young people are attracted to gang culture and knife culture. Poorer young people of all skin tones. This means that we can only tackle knife crime and gang violence by tackling poverty, educational opportunity and systemic racism.

The callous murder of George Floyd on May 25 2020 by a US police officer forced Britain to confront a racist past and present. ‘Stop and Search’ was placed firmly in the spotlight.

According to Metropolitan Police figures, Newham was the second most-searched borough in London in 2019. Some 6,044 of people searched were described by police as Black; 5,386 White; 5,304 Asian; and 280 as ‘Other’. Despite this disproportionate search of young black men, they were less likely than young white men to be found carrying anything incriminating. Arrest rates were lower for black people = 21 percent for white people compared to just 16 percent for black people. Despite this trend, a far higher percentage of black people are stopped and searched.

The problem is not Stop and Search, it’s with how the practice is applied. Mistrust of police is growing as a result.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan recently announced plans to increase the number of ethnic minority police officers 40 percent. This will help only as long as it’s not an exercise in putting ‘faces in spaces.’ It must go hand in hand with targeted policies to educate about and eradicate bias and racism.

Newham is a wonderful, vibrant and welcoming borough, with thousands of young people who have untapped potential and talent. Local and national policy must be amended to combat the economic factors that lead to the senseless and tragic crimes we hear about on such a depressingly regular basis.

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