Assistant Chief Constable delivers LJMU guest lectures
19 March 2012
Assistant Chief Constable Christopher Armitt of Merseyside Police recently delivered a series of Guest Lectures on 'Gangs in Liverpool' to Education Studies students at IM Marsh.
The Centre for Education and Early Childhood Studies has hosted a series of lectures provided by Assistant Chief Constable Christopher Armitt to provide students with a policing perspective of issues associated with youth crime and gang activity. The lecture included consideration for the vulnerability and risk factors experienced by children and young people that may contribute to social exclusion, engagement in offending behaviours and a range of negative outcomes. The lectures provided a focus upon implications associated with 'moral panics' and fear of crime in communities, the significance of early identification, intervention and preventative work with young people and consideration for public protection arrangements. The sessions were facilitated by Katharine Evans through existing partnership arrangements with Merseyside Police for academic research in the area of police- youth relations.
The lectures have been popular with students who have provided positive feedback following the events. Comments included:
"I really enjoyed the 'gangs' lecture, I found it really interesting to hear from somebody directly involved in dealing with youth gangs and crime."
Amy Pealing, ECL student
"The lecture was great. It gave us a good insight to the police in the local area and what influences people to enter the gang culture."
Emily Forshaw, ECL student
"I found the lecture really interesting and very informative. It gave me another perspective outside of the statistics and theories of what goes on within the crime cycle. It was fascinating to see a side of the police that I wasn't aware of, for example, the crime intervention programmes."
Shula Franklin, ECL student
Pictured: LJMU Education Studies students with Assistant Chief Constable Christopher Armitt at IM Marsh
