Life in Gangland London

Available for over a year

John Waite enters what can only be described as a parallel world - in which gangs are simply part of life for generations growing up. Where violence - or the threat of it - is an everyday reality, where children as young as nine are used to carry drugs and where sex is used as weapon. He investigates how gangs are changing, how they recruit new members and how they try to stay one step ahead of the police. There are now calls for compulsory gang education in every primary in school in Britain. Calls backed by former Home Office Minister Norman Baker who tells the programme that any school wanting to opt out must first justify why. And one of Britain's most famous children's charities reveal their concerns about gang manufactured music videos which they now constantly monitor to protect the children they work with. The videos are often used to recruit new gang members - advertising the glamour and money that can come with gang life - as well as issuing threats to rivals. John speaks to one of just a handful of people banned by the courts from releasing music because the police believe it is linked to gang violence. John also finds out what its like to lead a gang, to grow up in an area dominated by gangs and to lose a loved one to gang violence. (The picture shows John standing near the spot where 20 year old Dwayne Simpson was stabbed to death a year ago). Producer: Joe Kent Editor: Andrew Smith.