NCJ Number
94204
Journal
Crime and Social Justice Issue: 20 Pages: 1-15
Date Published
Unknown
Length
15 pages
Annotation
Riots by British black youth in the summer of 1981 can be traced to historical and economic conditions.
Abstract
These causes include high unemployment among lower class white and nonwhite youth adult populations, and subsequent racial tension, coupled with cuts in welfare benefits; existence of antiestablishment West Indian culture in high-crime slum areas; poor police-community relations, lack of riot training, and placement of black areas 'under heavy manners' or police surveillance. The growth of prejudice and discrimination, reinforced by immigration and integration policies, government refusal to acknowledge racial problems, and right-wing political responses have only exacerbated the problems facing minority youth in Great Britain. Britain has over 7.5 million people living in abject poverty without the basic necessities of heating, food, and warm clothing. The British Government has developed a 'work experience' program that provides an occupation rather than training, for young people, paying a benefit of $50 per week. The jobs are highly sexist and provide no upward mobility. They are 'make-work' schemes aimed at labor discipline rather than training for the real world of employment. The state must fill low-paid work and police the unemployed. By concentrating on nonwhite youth, it has been able to orchestrate a concern for law and order publicly without actually helping youth. Four notes and 21 references are included.