Rather than jump to conclusions about youths involved in the riots, policy makers should take a step back and reflect

While the prime minister, David Cameron, asked the Speaker of the House of Commons to recall the house for an emergency debate, a lot has been said about the disturbances of the last few days. Everyone has condemned the violence, looting, intimidation and destruction. Many have rushed to blame, name and shame young people. But only a few of those in power and in decision-making bodies have taken the time to step back and reflect.

In the circumstances, it is easy to jump to conclusions about what led young people to cause such destruction. I am not going to make the same mistake, particularly since Independent Academic Research Studies (IARS), the charity that I am director of, has a reputation for its evidence-based approach to investigating and understanding these kinds of events.

What I would like to propose is that we take the opportunity to allow young people to genuinely feed into whatever policies and practices we introduce to bring Britain back to normal. Democratic engagement and participation is not just for those in universities and public schools. Young people working with charities such as IARS, the Foyer Federation and Anne Frank Trust, or those in youth offending teams, out of education, ex-offenders, prisoners, carers and mothers, are for the large part keen to participate positively in civic life.

We call on all civil society organisations with an interest in young people, to join forces to broker a relationship between young people and policy-makers. One example of this that is already taking place is the 99% campaign, which is a pan-London, youth-led campaign. It brings together key public, private and civil society organisations to dispel stereotypes about young people and make London a safer, more inclusive and cohesive place for all.

To deliver the campaign's message: "Give us a chance – listen to our story – we are the 99%", a partnership group was formed. This brings together a mixture of organisations including the Crown Prosecution Service, Metropolitan Police Service, Youth Justice Board, the mayor of London, Transport for London, London councils and several local authorities such as Bexley and Ealing council. Civil society organisations include IARS, the Prince's Trust, Leap, the Anne Frank Trust, YMCA, the Jack Petchey Foundation and the Foyer Federation.

John Teamrat, 17, from Lewisham said: "The government, MPs and news reporters do not help the situation; not one can relate to any young people in the city but they're quick to pass a judgment or a stereotype. Half of them don't realise that for male youths, walking down the street being cautious is a daily occurrence.

"Once the government can relate to younger people, things will improve. Until then, they are part to blame, as well as all the youths, men and women involved."

Some of the young people who were at the riots also said to us: "It's fun to see police can't handle us." Others said "government is taking away our power."

I am not rushing to make excuses or condemn the individuals involved in the riots. I simply condemn the violence and the current status quo. I also know from evidence that there is a growing concern among youth justice professionals that the line adopted by the various governments of the past 30 years in dealing with youth crime is flawed. As the current coalition government is preparing for a reform of the entire youth justice system, the need to try something new becomes apparent.

In my opinion, it does not matter how much money is thrown by government, trusts and donors at new policies, good schooling, volunteering programmes and so on, because if solutions are not tailored to what young people really need they won't help address what we have seen in the past few days.

To this end, policy-makers and those in a position to determine how our society and lives are governed should endorse the idea of user-led (or youth-led) campaigning and policy-making. The voluntary sector has been a pioneer in this area. For instance, IARS is an independent, social policy thinktank with a charitable mission to enable young people from all walks of life to have a better future and participate equally and democratically in civic life.

IARS' young people inform and influence policies and practices affecting them, particularly in the areas of citizenship and civic engagement, criminal justice, human rights, equality, restorative justice and education.

Sheré Prospere, 20, from south London said to us: "In order to deal with this serious issue, it needs to be dealt and viewed with a different perspective to the supposed preconceptions of young people already ingrained into our minds, because if these events escalate even further, people cannot state that they were not warned."

Dr Theo Gavrielides is director of Independent Academic Research Studies (IARS), which aims to help young people influence policy and practice

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