The teams, known as Violence Reduction Units (VRUs), bring together different organisations - including the police, local government, health and community leaders - to tackle violent crime by understanding its root causes. The Labour Party has promised to expand 18 units and employ an average of 20 additional officers each in police forces to tackle the highest rates of gang-related violent crime. Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon said: "Under the Tories, reoffending rates are far too high, meaning more victims of crimes and less safe communities. "Labour will prioritise reducing the number of victims of crime and tackling the huge social and economic costs of offending. "Our Criminal Justice Innovation Fund will help local experts invest in schemes that work best to tackle reoffending in their areas."

Source: Daily Mirror November 27, 2019 05:03 UTC