Research from universities, including the University of York, suggests that a “postcode lottery” is leaving children and young adults vulnerable to county lines exploitation.
A study carried out by the Universities of York, Liverpool and Leeds interviewed 117 police officers across 44 forces. The Universities found that there are “widespread systemic deficiencies and differences” within and between forces. Researchers have called for more national guidance and oversight to createa minimum standard response.
Though police forces are changing and try to safeguard rather than punish when exploitation is suspected, the findings show there remains no unified approach across or even within single force areas.
The findings also suggest that the type of criminality has changed so much that even the term “county lines” has become outdated, as the type of criminality has changed so that children are involved in local drug markets, rather than simply going ‘out-of-town’, as one may imagine.
Prof Charlie Lloyd, from the University of York’s Vulnerability and Policing Futures Research Centre, said in a press release: “It is a considerable challenge for police officers when they are faced with a child carrying Class A drugs, suspected of being exploited to distribute drugs, but who is perhaps also antagonistic and unwilling to cooperate with police.
“In these circumstances there needs to be national guidelines that will aid officers in their decision-making and a baseline safeguarding response to ensure that vulnerable young people are not unnecessarily criminalised.
“We also showed that the term ‘County Lines’ itself has become problematic. Whilst it appears to have served a purpose in highlighting that exploitation of young people and vulnerable adults is a key feature of this type of organised crime, many officers now agree it is time to move on from this categorisation, to enable resources to follow the exploitation in drug supply, regardless of whether it is across borders or local – which is increasingly the case.”
Dr Chris Devany, from York’s Vulnerability and Policing Futures Research Centre, said: “The decisions made during the processing of vulnerable people once they enter the judicial system really are crucial to how the rest of their lives can unfold.
“A consistent approach to this nationally, may mean a significant number of people are saved from prison and put back on a path that could ultimately save their lives, as well as provide police forces with valuable information on how drug markets operate.”