Criminal Exploitation and County Lines

Criminal Exploitation occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, control, manipulate or deceive a young person under the age of 18 into any criminal activity (a) in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or (b) for the financial or other advantage of the perpetrator or facilitator and/or (c) through violence or the threat of violence. The victim may have been criminally exploited even if the activity appears consensual.

Criminal Exploitation does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur through the use of technology. Criminal exploitation often happens alongside sexual or other forms of exploitation.

Criminal Exploitation is broader than just county lines. It includes, for instance, young people forced to work on cannabis farms, to commit theft, shoplifting, or pickpocketing, or to threaten other young people.

County lines is a form of Criminal Exploitation. It is a term used to describe the activities of gangs and organised criminal networks who are involved in exporting illegal drugs into one or more importing areas (within the UK), using dedicated mobile phone lines or other forms of "deal line". These gangs exploit young people and vulnerable adults to move (and store) drugs and money, and they will often use coercion, intimidation, violence (including sexual violence) and weapons (County lines: criminal exploitation of children and vulnerable adults). This activity can occur locally or across the UK; no minimum travel distance is required.

The adults running these networks remain at a distance from the frontline activity of drug dealing, reducing the risk of being caught and instead, they exploit vulnerable young people who are at high risk of significant harm, transporting and selling drugs, often many miles from home.

Young people may be sent to another area of the country to live with a vulnerable adult whose home has been taken over by the gang in exchange for a continued supply of drugs. This is known as home invasion and/or 'cuckooing'. These environments are extremely dangerous for young people.

When young people are exploited over several years, the ‘position’ they come to occupy in drug offending groups may be viewed as more senior. Part of their exploitation may involve the recruitment and coercion of younger children. They may be forced to participate in this, or may do so as a survival strategy – reducing their personal risk by ‘moving up’ the group, but increasing the risk they will be labelled as a perpetrator. This is a well-known pattern in child trafficking, for example, in child sex rings.

County lines activity is dynamic and lucrative, and perpetrators quickly adapt their methods of exploitation. For example, a young person who is exploited can leave their placement in the morning, sell drugs and return the same day, and so avoid being reported missing.

There are high levels of violence and intimidation linked to county lines activity. Young people can be very quickly groomed into criminal activity, often before carers or practitioners realise what is happening.

Exploiters can cover a range of people, from friends and family to local drug dealing groups, to serious organised crime groups. Exploiters identify adversity or an unmet need in a child’s life and then exploit it to make a child feel valued. This then escalates into demanding more of the child and encouraging them to actively participate in criminal activity. Experiences of exploitation can include debt bondage, coercion, violence, threats, and emotional and sexual abuse. Victims experience psychological stress and anxiety, are exposed to traumatic events, and can face intimidation and violence if they attempt to refuse involvement.

All criminally exploited young people are at risk of neglect, emotional harm, sexual exploitation and abuse, as well as substance misuse and extreme forms of violence.

Financial exploitation can happen to any child, from any background. It takes many forms, including exploitation within families and care placements as well as outside the home.

Child financial exploitation is where a child is groomed into helping criminals launder money or commit fraud. Most children are financially exploited without understanding what is going on or realising they are committing an offence. Child financial exploitation can happen to children who are also being exploited in other ways, so it is often overlooked rather than being seen as a distinct form of exploitation in itself, with far-reaching consequences for the child.

Children who are financially exploited are often referred to as ‘money mules’ by the media. This is a degrading term which minimises the harm and downplays the fact that they have been exploited.

Any young person may be at risk of criminal exploitation, regardless of their family background or other circumstances, but young people who are looked after or who are excluded from mainstream education are at increased risk of being targeted.

Like other forms of abuse and exploitation, county lines exploitation:

• Can affect any young person under the age of 18 years;
• Can still be exploitation even if the activity appears consensual;
• Can involve force and/or enticement-based methods of compliance (i.e. the receipt by the young person of money/drugs or other goods) and is often accompanied by violence or threats of violence;
• Can be perpetrated by individuals or groups, of any gender identity, and young people or adults; and
• Some form of power imbalance typifies it in favour of those perpetrating the exploitation. Whilst age may be the most obvious factor, this power imbalance can also stem from a range of other factors, including gender, cognitive ability, physical strength, status, and access to economic or other resources.

Perpetrators are known to target vulnerable young people and adults; some of the factors that heighten vulnerability include:

• Having prior experience of neglect, physical and/or sexual abuse;
• Being in care;
• Social isolation or social difficulties;
• Connections with other people involved in gangs;
• Having a physical disability or learning disability;
• Having mental health or substance misuse issues;
• Not having any meaningful education or training options.

It is thought that 14-17 years is the most common age for young people to be exploited, but there are reports of children below the age of 11 years being targeted.

Boys are most commonly identified as being criminally exploited, but girls are also used and exploited. It may be that girls are identified by safeguarding children agencies because of concerns other than criminal exploitation, while also being criminally exploited.

Some of the main warning signs that a young person is involved in county lines or being exploited are listed below, with those at the top of particular concern:

• Persistently going missing from their school/college/training or the placement and/or being found out of area;
• Noticeable changes in behaviour (these changes can be very rapid);
• Unexplained acquisition of money, clothes, or mobile phones;
• Excessive receipt of texts/phone calls and/or having multiple handsets;
• Relationships with controlling/older individuals or groups;
• Leaving the home without explanation;
• Suspicion of physical assault/unexplained injuries;
• Carrying weapons/drugs;
• Significant decline in school/college results/performance;
• Poor attendance at school/college or training;
• Gang association or isolation from peers or social networks;
• Self-harm or significant changes in emotional well-being.

When concerns about criminal exploitation have been identified, the young person's Placement Plan should contain details of the day-to-day arrangements which have been agreed between you, the supported lodgings service, and the young person’s social worker to keep the young person safe. You and the Supported Lodgings Service should actively safeguard and promote the welfare of the young person in response to these safeguarding issues, in accordance with the placement plan. Consideration also needs to be given to your safety and that of your family.

Young people’s needs and safety must always come first. This means you should respond flexibly and continue to 'stay with the young person,' even when they are unwilling to engage. Relationships between you and young people in your home which are based on consistency, stability and respectful communication will help in supporting effective interventions with exploited young people.

When a young person presents with offending or other concerning behaviour, you need to be curious and compassionate and ask: What is happening in this young person’s life that is causing them to behave this way? What can we do to help them? The Service should assist you with this, as it can be challenging to navigate such situations.

Young people who have been criminally exploited are the victims of crime (although they may not initially see themselves as such).

All professionals working with the young person should consider the context of the young person’s behaviour as well as the impact (for example, trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mental health issues or substance misuse), to help determine an effective response. This is particularly relevant for young people exploited through county lines activity.

You and the Service should consider whether other children/young people in the household may also be at risk (exploited young people can be pressured to 'recruit' others). Any concerns should be shared with Children's Social Care and the allocated social workers.

For some young people, a move to a different home may be necessary. This should be discussed with you, the young person, the allocated social worker, and the Independent Reviewing Officer to ensure everyone's safety.

For young people leaving care, the Personal Adviser and/or Adult Social Care worker should be informed of any concerns so they can continue to offer support as the young person moves to other accommodation.

Protecting children from criminal exploitation, human trafficking and modern slavery (GOV.UK) - thematic report from Joint Inspections on the risk of child criminal exploitation.

Children and Young People Trafficked for Criminal Exploitation in Relation to County Lines: A Toolkit for Professionals - (The Children's Society in partnership with Victim Support and the National Police Chiefs' Council) - several resources that may be useful for professionals when working with children and young people, their families and communities at risk of abuse and exploitation.

Criminal exploitation of children and vulnerable adults: county lines (GOV.UK) - Guidance for frontline professionals on dealing with county lines, part of the government's approach to ending gang violence and exploitation.

Children’s Society Financial Exploitation

Child financial exploitation: a guide for parents, carers and professionals

Money laundering-linked financial exploitation: guidance for frontline professionals

Exploited to exploiter? Preventing the unjust criminalisation of victims of child criminal exploitation in the transition to adulthood (Alliance for Youth Justice)