Extensive analysis of partnership information is carried out by Police Scotland to identify the epicentre of hot spot areas within vulnerable and problematic communities within South Lanarkshire.
Following MTGP activity, further analysis is carried out to identify what reductions, if any, are observed in relation to crimes and incidents of violence and disorder within each targeted area before, during and after MTGP attendance.
All crime statistics relate to a ¼ mile radius of the exact location of the pitch. Analysts’ confirm that further crime reductions are regularly achieved outwith this radius but other influences may have a possible contributory effect and as such are not included within reports.
Analysis revealed that the peak times for youth related violence and disorder are Thursday to Sunday from 1800-2200 hours. As a result these are the periods that MTGP will target the most vulnerable communities within South Lanarkshire ensuring that Moving the Goalposts targets ‘the right area at the right time’.
MTGP activity during one of these 4 ‘peak nights of concern’ (Thursday-Sunday) often results in significant crime reductions during the other 3 peak nights when MTGP is not in operation.
MTGP has seen significant and sustained, year on year, reductions in crimes and incidents within the most vulnerable communities of South Lanarkshire since its inception in 2008.
Analysts’ confirm that it can sometimes prove difficult to determine if an incident was youth related or not and as a result they were not included within early analysis reports.
In 2013-14 all crimes and incidents affecting a target area was introduced to help determine the full effect MTGP can have on an area. This action quickly identified that MTGP has a much wider, positive effect on crime and disorder within communities than could have ever been anticipated.
Up to 16 communities per year have been targeted by MTGP however, in 2016-17, due to reduced funding restrictions, only 6 problematic communities were targeted compared with 10 in 2015-16.
3784 young people attended MTGP for more than one hour during 2016-17 with an average of 48 attending nightly. This was up 477 from 2015-16, a substantial increase despite only 6 communities targeted compared with 10 in 2015-16.
An attendance breakdown identifies a 66% males and 34% females ratio which highlights how football is not just a male oriented sport.Several female attendees are now playing for local teams or professionally for Scottish clubs and have even gone onto represent their country.
In 2016-17 MTGP was tasked to target the Halfway area of Cambuslang due to high levels of public and partner concerns regarding youth related violence and disorder affecting the area.
As a result Halfway was targeted simultaneously on a Friday and Saturday night for a 12 week period.
Police analysis of the results are as follows:-
62.5% reduction for all youth related crimes and incidents
41% reduction in all crimes and incidents
There were no crimes and incidents whilst MTGP was in operation for the 12 week activity period on both Friday and Saturday nights.
Analysts also carried out a snapshot of all youth related crimes within the whole of Halfway and this was reduced by 56.6% confirming that MTGP has a substantial positive effect on crimes and incidents over a wider geographical area than normally reported.
Long Term Crime Analysis
MTGP has been in operation since 2008. Significant, sustained, year upon year, reductions in violent crime and disorder has been achieved during this period.
Police analysis of the last 9 years, in relation to youth related crime and incidents and for the last 4 years of all crimes and incidents highlighted significant, year on year, annual reductions:-
An average reduction of 57.4% in Youth related crimes and incidents over a 9 year period of MTGP activity.
An average reduction of 45.8% in relation to All crimes and incidents over a 4 year period of MTGP activity.
This sustained crime reduction over such long periods of time could not have been anticipated when Moving the Goalposts was introduced to South Lanarkshire in 2008 and highlights the excellent work carried out by Moving the Goalposts, its coaches and its numerous partners and supporters.
Moving The Goalposts 