Sangita Myska caller argues increased crime is due to 'economic factors'

31 August 2022, 15:20 | Updated: 10 October 2022, 14:06

'A lot of reasons why people commit crime are economic factors.'

This Sangita Myska caller highlights the role of "economic factors" in crimes, after a person was stabbed at the Notting Hill Carnival.

It comes after Notting Hill Carnival ended in unexpected tragedies, with 209 arrests made during the weekend.

Leon in Hackney Wick said: "We don't talk about investing in crime prevention, the only thing we seem to want to talk about is getting tough on crime, throwing more money towards police, having more stronger police presence on the street.

"A lot of reasons why people commit crimes are social economic factors: unemployment, single parent families, drug use, domestic abuse.

"The governments - successive Labour and Conservative governments - they are not spending any money on preventing crime.

Caller says Notting Hill Carnival has become 'about flexing muscles'

The caller then compares the reoffending rates of Britain i.e 60% to Norway is only 20% where they prefer to rehabilitate prisoners.

Sangita interrupted the caller and said: "I think it's bigger than that, honestly Leon, I think it's bigger than that.

"The reason why I'm really uncomfortable about people making a direct link about poverty and crime is because I don't think it's directly poverty.

"I think there are things that are happening, and I have talked to enough grassroots organisations, to have reached this conclusion that actually it's to do with poor educational outcomes.

"Sometimes, to do with health, as you say, single parent families, forgotten communities, and also sub-cultures that have developed within very often young people and not being able to somehow overcome the kind of alternative vision of what it is to be successful within that sub-culture and try and tie those people back into mainstream society, and I think that's where the answer lies."