Riots report warns of continuing social breakdown on estates

A report on 13 neighbourhoods across England and Wales where violent disorders took place in the early 1990s concludes that they occurred through the 'fatal combination' of large numbers of young people without jobs and weak social controls, including inconsistent policing.

The study, supported by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, describes how the rioters - mostly young, white men - caused millions of pounds worth of damage to local businesses and community buildings. The riots were chaotic street battles in which police and local youths fought for control of the areas.

Analysing immediate and underlying causes of the disturbances, the report finds that:

• All the riot neighbourhoods had a previous history of disorder where police and the community had been unable to prevent - and in some cases had tolerated - high levels of violent behaviour, crime and intimidation involving young men.
• Serious violence was invariably triggered by a sudden increase in the level of police intervention to deal with law breaking and a threatened breakdown in order.
• All the areas affected were outside London and marked by exceptionally high levels of unemployment. Although they had long-standing social problems and poor reputations, all consisted of traditional houses with gardens.
• Concentrations of young people on the riot estates were far higher than for the country as a whole. In some areas, over half the residents were aged under 24.
• Unlike the inner city disorders of the early 1980s, the vast majority of rioters were white and British born.
• Boys and young men between the ages of 10 and 30 played an active part in the disturbances. With few exceptions, girls and young women were not involved except as bystanders.
• Rioting was suppressed by police action, but not resolved. Most areas continued to experience disorders following the riots. An intensive police initiative in one neighbourhood gained local support and led to a short-term reduction in crime - but it was wound down following its 'success'.

Authors Anne Power and Rebecca Tunstall of the London School of Economics report that, in addition to those studied, there were at least 15 other neighbourhoods where police temporarily lost control of the streets to rioters between 1991 and 1995. However, they estimate that more than a hundred communities experienced outbreaks of violence, arson and less widely reported clashes between youths and the police during the same period.

Anne Power said: "Our study makes it clear that there are small areas of Britain where violence, disorder and hostility to the police are commonplace. These estates have come to house heavy concentrations of young, poorly educated, unemployed men who often come from unstable families and have no stake or recognised role in their communities. Many of them see no harm in stealing cars, attacking the police, intimidating older residents or forming gangs to claim control of the streets.

"It is in those circumstances that crime and disorder can get out of control, attracting abnormal police intervention. Although it must be regarded as a sign of failure when policing veers between 'turning a blind eye' and 'overkill', policing problems are only a symptom of the underlying breakdown of social control."

The report calls for action across three main areas to tackle the underlying causes of violent disorder:

Estate management: changing allocation policies that lead to abnormal concentrations of children and young men on unpopular estates, including the 'dumping' of lone parents and other vulnerable families. Better security measures and local bases for police, health visitors, caretakers, housing managers and other front-line services would help nip problems in the bud.

Education, training and jobs: taking action to tackle school failure and create training opportunities combined with work experience. Locally-based advice centres can broker job chances for young people and help employers looking for trainees. Publicly-funded regeneration initiatives must deliver training and work opportunities for local people.

Family and community support: the informal controls provided by families and the wider community can be strengthened by action ranging from specialist help for the parents of 'out of control' children to intervention before parenting and other problems lead to breakdown. Better pre-school facilities, more out-of-school clubs and constructive activities for teenagers can all make a positive contribution.

Rebecca Tunstall said: "One striking feature of the riot areas was that they had all been the target for major government programmes. Yet the focus on short-term improvements did little to change the prospects for young men who, by rioting, destroyed many of the community's hard-won gains."