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Glasgow’s streets are safer and less violent than ever before since young people started rejecting the madness of its notorious young teams.

Earlier this year it was revealed that the city could finally shed the unwanted tag of being the violent crime capital of the UK.

And a survey for Glasgow Live has showed that 97% of people living in areas at one time synonymous with territorialism and violence, think that fewer youngsters than ever before are becoming involved with gangs.

They say gang culture is more or less dead and 71% feel their communities are safer as a result.

Just over a decade ago in 2004, when it had six times as many gangs as London despite the population of the English capital dwarfing that of the whole of Scotland, Glasgow was shamefully named as the official murder capital of Western Europe.

The old “no mean city” stereotypes that had dogged the city since the days of razor gangs running wild down Sauchiehall Street in the 20s and 30s, showed no signs of going away.

However not only has the murder rate dropped by more than half in the last decade, the number of violent incidents altogether; including serious assault and attempt murder, have also plummeted. As have incidents of people carrying offensive weapons such as knives.

Numbers released by Community Safety Glasgow for Glasgow City Council also showed this is particularly true in the city centre where violent incidents, that were once far too common, are now non-existent in comparison.

(Image: Media Scotland)

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There has also been vast improvements throughout the city and many housing schemes that were previously blighted by gang violence have been visibly transformed into communities where residents no longer fear to walk to the local shops or travel through particular areas.

The massive reduction in such a short space of time can’t be overlooked and neither can the importance of young people rejecting gangs and the mindless violence that goes with it.

The link between the two is no coincidence and the change hasn’t happened overnight but has instead been the product of 10 years of gradual progress.

One main factor in the drop in young people becoming associated with gang violence has been the amazing work done by community run initiatives and youth projects right through the width and breadth of the city.

One of these organisations is FARE (Family Action in Rogerfield and Easterhouse) and they are a prime example of the good work being done with young people.

Easterhouse in the East End of the city is an area that has possibly been linked more to gang violence over the past 40-50 years than any other.

Chris Kerr has been involved with FARE since their formation 14 years ago and has seen many changes in the area during that time.

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Chris, 35, who was himself born and bred in Easterhouse said: “There has been a massive reduction in gang violence and anti-social behaviour, particularly over the past 10 years.

“I was born in this area and have lived here all my life so I was brought up surrounded by it all and there was loads of young people getting involved.

“It was part of their entertainment it was their weekend, it was what they did for fun but now it’s very rare that you see or hear of any young people becoming involved in actual gang fighting.“

Recent figures received by FARE showed a 58.9% reduction in youngsters from the Easterhouse area becoming involved in youth disorder.

There has been a load of factors coming together to produce these results but a key ingredient has been an anti-gangs programme run by FARE. This sees them go into 25 Primary 7 classes on the North-East of Glasgow every year to offer a range of free activities and educate the kids about the dangers of getting involved with gangs.

Chris said: “We focus on kids in Primary 7 because they are at the top of the tree in their school, they are the main men.

“But after the summer holidays they are suddenly split up from all their mates, different classes, different schools and different young people round about them so they are very vulnerable and that’s how they can get recruited into gangs.”

(Image: Media Scotland)

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Another vital factor in gaining the encouraging figures is the formation of a Violence Reduction Unit by Police Scotland (then Strathclyde Police) in 2005.

The police force adopted a strategy used successfully by American Police against gangs in Boston in the 1990’s.

The tactics have been considered so much of a success in Glasgow that Prime Minister David Cameron hailed Strathclyde Police as the benchmark on how to deal with violent gangs in his 2011 speech on that year's London riots that trickled throughout the UK.

Other decisive factors in the figures include a gradual dilution in the age old sectarianism and religious bigotry issue that had previously scarred the city.

And there has, of course, also been a seismic shift in a youth culture that has become more image conscience than ever before as a result of becoming consumed by social media.

The majority of millennials are more concerned about gaining friends and followers than they are about gaining enemies and a criminal record by becoming tarnished by a gang.

And of course a facial scar is not a good look to get likes on your profile picture.

However, despite the many changes in the past decade, levels of poverty in areas like Easterhouse are still among the highest anywhere in the country.

(Image: Media Scotland)

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FARE was initially formed to help families that are struggling reduce the impact of poverty and Chris admitted it can be a struggle as more and more families continue to fall below the breadline.

They have now formed an employability team to focus on getting school leavers with little or no education back on the right track and help them gain vital skills and qualifications such as first aid, manual lifting and Duke of Edinburgh courses.

Chris said: “Unfortunately we don’t get to make the decisions down Westminster about sanctions and cuts to families and the impact that has so poverty is always going to be there.

“You only have to look at the amount of foodbanks that have opened up all over the country and a lot of people in the areas we cover are relying on them through sanctions and stuff like that.

“Poverty is always going to be an issue as is unemployment in young people and getting them opportunities.

“That is why we set up our employability team to help tackle that in any way we can and get them in to work.”

Related stories: Glasgow's Young Teams: A Timeline of Progress