From Mozart to Drill – The Evolution of UK Urban Street Gangs

This lecture will commence with a brief biography of Simon’s career in crime research, policy and practice. It will then focus on his major theoretical work, The Street Casino, giving an exposition of street capital theory. Simon will then consider how UK street gangs have evolved and expanded over the past 20 years, looking at the nature and dimensions of this expansion and how this has been exacerbated by austerity. He will then offer a fulsome explanation as to how and why youth violence is suddenly increasing across England.