Shooting of a teenager in Peckham

[detective-boy]

Violent incidents in Peckham are rare?

It doesn't say that though, does it? It says that:

Whilst these are tragic events, we know that they are rare. We must at this difficult time still recognise the progress that has and is being made to combat violence in the community. It is a fact that reports of violent crime continued to fall in Southwark Borough and reports of more serious violence have shown a 24% reduction since April 2006 compared with the previous year. This said, we must always remember that three lives have been lost and we must redouble our efforts to prevent these tragedies occurring again.

I.E. Murders like these are rare. The only comment made about violent incidents generally is that there has been a fall in the Borough (not just Peckham, which may or may not have fallen based on this information) of 24% year on year in relation to "more serious violence" (which may be defined in several ways, but I would normally expect to mean wounding/GBH and above). As there are no actual figures, that statistic in itself doesn't actually say whether they are "rare" or not. (From my recollection, they aren't particularly "rare" - Peckham was always near the top of the list for street robberes and other violent crime)

 

[Melinda]

After such a tense week, the council, police and local community leaders are going to be wanting to play things down in order to calm the people who live there. They trot out the usual line about recorded crime actually being down, and its just the perception of crime... blah blah.

It was the "dont have nightmares... it's all back under control..." nature of the end of Gracious' post I took issue with. (And I am aware they were merely passing on an official message).

The people of Peckham were shocked by the violence and they have the right to worry without someone official coming along to tell them why they are wrong to do so, especially when its on their own doorstep. Violence in Peckham is often arbitary, it blows up out of nowhere, and at other times it seems very much pre meditated. Both are unsettling and scary as hell.

Actual deaths may be rare, but I dont think you would find a person who was surprised at such wanton wickedness would happen there. The only unusual thing was those deaths happened in a single week.

 

[detective-boy]

The people of Peckham were shocked by the violence and they have the right to worry without someone official coming along to tell them why they are wrong to do so, especially when its on their own doorstep.

Peckhams a fucking nightmare. People are being murdered randomly every day. Oh my God! Run for the Hills!

(Feel better now? I take it you live there / know whats actually happening there, by the way)

 

[gracious]

i've lived in peckham for 4 years, and havent seen any violence at all, although 2 different female flatmates have been victims of failed attempts at muggings.

tbh this whole thing is scarey, scarey mostly because it says something about the nature of the kids in this area. where i used to live in bromley/croydon you would see kids kicking off, nicking mobile phones etc all the time, in fact a lot more prevalent than in peckham... the difference is, that in peckham when it does kick off, likelihood is that said kids will have a knife or a gun.

i guess im one of the young-professionals that are slowly gentrifying peckham from the east dulwich end in. a lot of people express distaste at the gentrification of "real" areas like peckham... if over a very slow process these kids see that they could grow up to be east dulwich style rather that east peckham style - perhaps over a long slow period opportunities for these kids get better.

in the meantime, its both tragic and very worrying.

 

[gracious]

and by the way, in my experience, the people that work in mcdonalds in peckham cant even hand over a bigmac in under 20 minutes... not sure id be taking their word of prevalence of violence over the police!!

 

[normskii]

I have heard through someone with connections to the council that this is due to <editor: snip for legal reasons>

I don't know if this is definately true of course.

 

[poster342002]

.

 

[normskii]

Sorry ed. Not trying to get you in trouble.

 

[twister]

i guess im one of the young-professionals that are slowly gentrifying peckham from the east dulwich end in. a lot of people express distaste at the gentrification of "real" areas like peckham... if over a very slow process these kids see that they could grow up to be east dulwich style rather that east peckham style - perhaps over a long slow period opportunities for these kids get better.

in the meantime, its both tragic and very worrying.

I dont think the kids we're talking about will perceive 'east dulwich style' as something to aspire to or that is realistically obtainable, and if anything the area (and type of people) will change slowly in Peckham not the attitudes and culture that exists in certain communities.

Real and obtainable opportunities need to be created alongside real community engagement in these deprived areas for any meaningful change to occur imo. Easy words to say i know..

Living nearer the neck of the woods that these things seem to be happening in I don't feel much sense of 'community', or maybe it's that I just don't feel engaged in it (blue smartie syndrome perhaps). The area is alot of social housing, lots of small self-contained flats in blocks, but not much in the way of open spaces or communial areas (a problem in alot of areas I know), I get very little in the way of communication through my door from anyone other than Southwark Housing or African faith healers - so what I'm basically saying is that it all doesn't really engender community spirit/neighbourly feelings.

I've had very little to do with the people in my block, even my direct neighbours and I'm a reasonable social/friendly guy in general, but I have to say when I have it's been brief but felt genuine.

I'm not saying this explains recent events, but I think it's definitely a contributory factor. I think it's only a good thing they're knocking down some of the larger older estates round here (currently one on Queens Rd) but so long as they take some real thought in how they're replacing them.

 

[hendo]

A well argued article in the Guardian from someone who knows what she's talking about:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/gun/Story/0,,2008059,00.html

 

[hendo]

double post

 

[detective-boy]

A well argued article in the Guardian from someone who knows what she's talking about:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/gun/Story/0,,2008059,00.html

A very telling point she makes is that the use of "parenting orders" is a bit of a waste of time when it comes to those who need them most - because the parental bond has broken down so fundamentally it is not really there at all (or it is acting in an entirely negative way).

Looking at the four involved in the Peckham Christening shooting, you see dire parenting (and abuse, at least in the case of the main one) which has undoubtedly had a profound impact on how / why they have ended up where they have. And some of them have children themselves. And so the cycle goes around ....

Ideas thought of in Hampstead, in minds which have an institutionalised picture of a basic Mum, Dad, 2.4 kids and a labrador nuclear family as their starting point are never goping to come up with any ideas which are going to work in the real world of the people who need help / advice / guidance and, if all that fails, some sort of punitive regime.

 

[gracious]

I don't feel much sense of 'community'

so strange to hear you say that, i have always felt that the community in peckham was much more alive and connected than anywhere else i've lived. certainly more so than beckenham/bromley. there's all manner of local activities available and even my local park has a committee (warwick gardens). and i've always found it really refreshing that people on the street actually talk to you - shoe laces undone etc.

perhaps it really is the difference between east and west peckham...?

as for not wanting to grow up to be an east dulwich type: word.

 

[gracious]

Real and obtainable opportunities need to be created alongside real community engagement in these deprived areas for any meaningful change to occur imo. Easy words to say i know..

anything we as local residents can do?

 

[twister]

so strange to hear you say that, i have always felt that the community in peckham was much more alive and connected than anywhere else i've lived. certainly more so than beckenham/bromley. there's all manner of local activities available and even my local park has a committee (warwick gardens). and i've always found it really refreshing that people on the street actually talk to you - shoe laces undone etc.

perhaps it really is the difference between east and west peckham...?

as for not wanting to grow up to be an east dulwich type: word.

Don't get me wrong, I do think that Peckham has a real community feel to it.. walk down Rye Lane you can't help but feel slightly intoxicated by it all.. the hustle and bustle and the fact that so many food shops (butchers/grocers/etc) can exist on one stretch of road is always a source of amazement for me.

I'm talking about when you get away from the centre go north and you hit my block of flats and the flats surrounding me and this general area.. it's functional, and you can't say much else for it apart from it being heavily African. There's nicer blocks, and some not so nice blocks, plently of roads of terrace housing yes, but you realise you're a long long way from East Dulwich. (whether you consider that to be a good or bad thing!)

gracious - I know all that sort of community shit happens round your way, but you don't get nada round here, or nothing that includes me in the demographic ciculation. My block's tenants meeting? Wouldn't have a clue. Local residents association? Not that I know of.

I just don't think the people care about their area/community as much as they seem to round your way.. which is a shame, as having been here coming up to a year now, a visitor for longer, and due to the job I do, I do actually give a shit.

I do understand that this is just my experience and perception, and I think I'm going to start trying to prove myself wrong and investigate a bit more...

 

[moon]

I dont think the kids we're talking about will perceive 'east dulwich style' as something to aspire to or that is realistically obtainable, and if anything the area (and type of people) will change slowly in Peckham not the attitudes and culture that exists in certain communities.

Real and obtainable opportunities need to be created alongside real community engagement in these deprived areas for any meaningful change to occur imo. Easy words to say i know..

Very well said