Murder is expensive for a public service
Drugs, missed mental health sessions and use of social media are factors driving the killings, a study finds.
The London Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) report analyzes police data to better understand the causes of homicides and homicides.
Last year, there was a record number of juvenile homicides in the capital, despite the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown.
Each murder cost the police and criminal justice system an estimated £800,000, the report claims.
The homicide rate in London means it will cost an annual fee of around £120 million.
Founded by the mayor’s office of London, the VRU study by the behavioral insight team aims to find a framework for experts, including the police, to provide early and targeted interventions.
After an analysis of 50 murders, it was found:
They will now use the framework to analyze another 300 cases with the view that the framework could potentially be used more routinely in the capital city.
Researchers say the project will help authorities find patterns and make targeted improvements
Analysis by Sonja Jessop, BBC London home affairs correspondent
Analysis by Sonja Jessop, BBC London’s home affairs correspondent
The Met Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, has previously said he wants to bring the number of homicides in London to under 100 a year, from 130.
This report from the Mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit shows the police are only one part of the solution.
There are also recommendations for other agencies and policy makers, including monitoring when someone stops engaging with mental health support and providing better guidance for young people who are targeted by social media.
The report also highlights gaps in the recorded data on homicides and makes recommendations to police on how they can be improved.
Gang violence, for example, is an area where researchers say there isn’t enough specific information about how drugs or social media are involved, or the relationship or nature of the conflict.
Researchers say the clues are often there, but improving the data will make it easier to spot patterns and see where current provisions and policies need to be improved.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “If we are to continue to reduce violence in London, it is important that we identify more opportunities to intervene early because I firmly believe that violence is preventable, not unavoidable.”
Lib Peck, director of VRU, said: “The cornerstone of the VRU approach to addressing violence is building an evidence base for what works and what doesn’t.”
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