Yard war on 'MTV' gangs

An alarming spread of violent American-style gang culture - prompted by rap videos on MTV - has been uncovered by Scotland Yard.

A new police report is today recommending that officers should be on full-time patrol at problem schools to combat the menace.

The drastic measure, already being piloted in a handful of schools, is seen as a vital response to the spread of violent youth crime modelled on New York and Los Angeles gangs.

Senior detective Andre Baker says mixed-race gangs already exist in every London borough and adopt the violent initiation rituals and casual attitude to street crime they see in US "gangsta rap".

London gangs have already committed rape and murder and police warn of a trend where girls are made to have sex with gang members as an initiation rite.

Detective Chief Superintendent Baker's report, which is being considered by Scotland Yard chiefs desperate to contain the street crime epidemic, says the gang culture is being imported from the US to Britain partly through the medium of music channels such as MTV.

The study charts American gang culture spreading throughout the world with youngsters aping the "guns and girls" lifestyle portrayed in rap videos with violent lyrics.

Mr Baker said: "MTV has reached across the world. The situation here is not as bad as it is in the States, but there is a parallel universe developing

True levels of gang membership are not known, but most have members from different cultures and a high percentage have been in care after abuse at home.

Many gangs are based on geographic areas such as streets or estates, others are based on friends from schools.

Mr Baker believes that they are not based on ethnic lines to the same extent as in America, though there is evidence of some now emerging, particularly from Eastern European countries.

The gang is said to act as a kind surrogate family offering friendship and support that vulnerable youngsters do not have at home.

The report identifies youths from single parent families as being particularly vulnerable. It states: "The children were modern day 'latch key kids' and the mothers could not afford the price for care."

Many children had a lot of free time and the gangs provided excitement. One child allegedly told a social worker: "If you are wanted by the police at least you are wanted by someone."

Mr Baker recommends putting full-time officers in schools, including primary schools, "at the education authorities' expense".

He advises police chiefs to lobby Government for new legislation which would mean that anybody dealing drugs within 500 yards of a school would receive double the penalty.

Last year Commissioner Sir John Stevens warned that of the "new phenomenon" of violent teen gangs driving a massive surge in street crime.

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