Safe houses to tackle gang culture

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The move could form part of the action programme to tackle the problem of gangs announced last month by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and focused on "hotspots" in parts of London, Liverpool, Greater Manchester and Birmingham.

In June this year, an MPs' report into Young Black People and the Criminal Justice System called for a "gang exit strategy" to deal with the escalating problem of young people getting caught up in crime and violence and then finding themselves unable to shake off gang links and go straight.

In their response the Home Office and Ministry of Justice said that safe houses "may be an appropriate response" and said that the new Tackling Gangs Action Programme would look at their suitability in different areas.

The report from the Home Affairs Select Committee noted that young black people were over-represented in the criminal justice system, making up 8.5% of 10-17 year-olds arrested in England and Wales, while they only form 2.7% of that age group.

As a group, black people were more likely to be stopped and searched by the police, less likely to be given unconditional bail, more likely to be remanded in custody and more likely to receive more punitive sentences if convicted than white young offenders.

Young black people were particularly over-represented as suspects for certain crimes such as robbery, drugs offences and - in some areas - firearms offences

The report blamed gang culture for some of the problems, along with poverty, educational underachievement, school exclusions, family conflict and breakdown and lack of positive role models.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Justice Secretary Jack Straw welcomed the report and published a response voicing agreement with many of its recommendations.

On the issue of safe houses, the response stated: "The Government accepts that safe houses may be an appropriate response and will therefore consider including, as part of national guidance, encouragement to those areas that are looking at the option of safe houses."