Teachers and doctors in Scotland are to be given a guide on how to spot youngsters falling into the criminal underworld.
Health service staff, school staff, cops and social workers will also be given the handbook on how to identify if kids are being drawn into organised crime. The Scottish Government said there are 101 known organised crime operations in the country and the youngsters targeted are left feeling trapped and suffering from violence, intimidation and threats from gangsters.
The guide – called Practitioner Guidance on Criminal Exploitation – aims to support a shared understanding of criminal exploitation and to help professionals identify those at risk. It includes a number of red flags to watch out for.
These include if someone is travelling to different areas they would not usually visit; changes in peer groups; and an agitation and nervousness about answering calls, or texts and going out. Other warning signs include the possession of burner phones; more frequent contact with police; persistently going missing or returning late; serious violence; and substance misuse issues.
It has been issued amid the Record's Our Kids ... Our Future campaign, which calls on the Scottish Government to provide safe spaces for kids in Scottish communities after a spate of sickening attacks on teens.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: “Scotland’s organised crime gangs are not confined to the big cities and they seek to exploit people across the country, impacting everyone. Understanding this and how this despicable practice can finally be ended is crucial in supporting the strong partnerships we have created to tackle these illegal groups.
“We all pay the price for their callous disregard for the law. This guidance is an important step towards better helping victims of exploitation and stifling the organised criminals of the lifeblood they need to keep operating.”
Paul Carberry, chairman of the serious organised crime taskforce, said it was essential those on the front line “recognise the signs and have a shared knowledge of criminal exploitation”.
“The guidance will give professionals from across multiple agencies more comprehensive knowledge, understanding and develop a wider perspective about criminal exploitation,” he said.
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