Current timestamp: 06/02/2023 05:47:20
AgeAlertAnonymousAppealsApplicationsApply Or RegisterArea OutlineArrow DownArrow LeftArrow RightArrow UpAutomatic DoorsBack ArrowBusinessCalendarCashArrow DownArrow LeftArrow RightArrow Down[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-chrome' for 'English (United Kingdom)']ClockCloseContactDirectionsDocumentDownloadDrawDrugExpandExternal LinkFacebookFb CommentFb LikeFiletype DefaultFiletype DocFiletype PdfFiletype PptFiletype XlsFinance[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-firefox' for 'English (United Kingdom)']First AidFlickrFraudGive FeedbackGlobeGuide DogHealthHearing ImpairedInduction LoopInfoInstagramIntercom[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-internet-explorer' for 'English (United Kingdom)']LaptopLiftLinkedinLocal ActivityLoudspeakerLow CounterMailMapMap PinMembershipMenuMenu 2[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-microsoft-edge' for 'English (United Kingdom)']Missing PeopleMobility ImpairmentNationalityNorth PointerOne Mile RadiusOverviewPagesPaper PlaneParkingPdfPhonePinterestPlayPushchairRefreshReportRequestRestart[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-rotate-clockwise' for 'English (United Kingdom)']Rss[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-safari' for 'English (United Kingdom)']SearchShareSign LanguageSnapchatStart AgainStatsStats And Prevention AdviceStopSubscribeTargetTattosTell Us AboutTickTumblrTwenty Four HoursTwitterTwitter LikeTwitter ReplyTwitter RetweetUploadVisually ImpairedWhatsappWheelchairWheelchair AssistedWheelchair ParkingWheelchair RampWheelchair WcYoutubeZoom InZoom Out

Quickly exit this site by pressing the Escape key Leave this site

Skip to main content

Skip to main navigation

Welcome

This site is a beta, which means it's a work in progress and we'll be adding more to it over the next few weeks. Your feedback helps us make things better, so please let us know what you think.

Show me the site

northants-logo-7

Search this website

Main navigation menu

  • Report

    Back to Report

    • Crime
    • Domestic abuse
    • Rape, sexual assault and other sexual offences
    • Road traffic incident
    • Report antisocial behaviour
    • Missing person
    • Fraud, bribery or corruption
    • Civil disputes
    • Lost or found property
    • Lost or stolen vehicles
  • Tell us about

    Back to Tell us about

    • Tell us about possible terrorist activity
    • How to tell us about something you've seen or heard
    • A procession or event you are planning
    • Filming
    • Abnormal vehicle load
  • Apply or register

    Back to Apply or register

    • Careers
    • Charity collection licences
    • Compensation for victims of crime
    • Firearm, shotgun or explosives certificate
    • Attend a misconduct hearing
  • Request

    Back to Request

    • A collision report
    • Intellectual property (IP) licence
    • Your fingerprints
    • Information: about the police, about yourself or someone else
  • Thanks and complaints

    Back to Thanks and complaints

    • Complaints
    • Say thanks
    • Feedback about the website

Breadcrumb

  1. ...
  2. News

Charity launches campaign to help prevent young people falling into a life of crime

Main article content

Navigation

News

11:16 17/08/2022

The charity Crimestoppers is today (Wednesday, August 17) launching a campaign across the county appealing to young people in a bid to save children and young teenagers from becoming embroiled in crime and from feeling scared and helpless.

Statistics reveal that nationally 46,000 children are thought to be involved in gangs and thousands criminally and sexually exploited. Additionally, nearly 20,000 children were cautioned or sentenced in England and Wales up to April last year.

Empowering young people to speak up against crime anonymously and without fear of retribution is at the heart of Fearless.org. It’s hard to quantify how many young people in Northamptonshire are affected by crime and criminal behaviour, but they are more likely to experience higher rates of crime, and yet are far less likely to speak up.

There are many reasons for this: a young person might not realise something is criminal and wrong, they may not know who to trust, and they fear being labelled as a `grass’.

Fearless engages and helps inform young people about crime, encouraging them to talk honestly about their worries or concerns, and in turn offers brutally honest information about crime and its consequences. The charity wants to give young people the whole picture to enable them to make informed decisions.

The week-long digital campaign launches today across Snapchat and focuses on serious and organised crime.

Lydia Patsalides, Regional Manager for the East Midlands at the charity Crimestoppers, said: “Being labelled a grass is a terrifying prospect for young people, however when I ask would you want to get help for someone in trouble, or to protect a friend from pain and danger, overwhelmingly they say yes of course.

“There is a serious issue with drug gangs using violence, weapons and exploiting children, so it is not a case of appealing for people to ‘snitch’ or `tell’ on those they know, as our focus is on helping to keep young people and local communities safe from harm.

“Crime, such as County Lines, is incredibly harmful because the gangs are violent and don’t care about the consequences of their actions on the young and vulnerable people they use.

“Young people who commit crime from an early age are especially likely to become habitual offenders with depressingly long criminal careers, so giving them the information necessary to avoid being exploited and avoid being led into a life of crime is key to prevent this happening.”

Detective Chief Inspector Liz Wilcox, who is leading the latest Northamptonshire Police Matters of Priority week of action tackling serious organised crime, welcomed the campaign.

She said: “We are right behind this campaign. Snapchat is a widely used social media tool for young people and we hope the targeted messaging will reassure them that they can speak out against crime anonymously. It’s such an important thing for them to know that help is out there without a young person needing to disclose their identity.”

If you’re a young person and know who is involved in exploiting young people or involved in other crime, you can tell Fearless what you know whilst staying 100 per cent anonymously at Fearless.org.

For more information about the Fearless campaign visit Fearless.org.

Crimestoppers is an independent charity helping communities to ‘Speak up. Stay safe.’

• Our 0800 555 111 telephone number and website Crimestoppers-uk.org gives people the power to speak up and pass on information about crime 100% anonymously. In over 33 years, we have always kept this promise and it is led to thousands of criminals being convicted of a wide range of serious offences.

Fearless.JPG

Share

Is there a problem with this page?

Footer navigation

We use cookies on this site to give you a better, more personalised experience.

I'm fine with cookies I'd like to manage the cookies

Northamptonshire Police

  • Contact us
  • About us
  • News
  • Careers
  • Campaigns
  • Privacy notice
  • Cookies
  • Terms and conditions
  • Accessibility

Information and services

  • Advice and information
  • Crime prevention
  • Stats and data
  • Accessing information (FOI)
  • Report
  • Tell us about
  • Apply or register
  • Request
  • Thanks and complaints

Partners

  • Police.uk
  • Ask the Police
  • Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner

Follow us on

© Copyright 2023. All rights reserved.