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The shadow home secretary has claimed the government is making it harder for police to tackle gangs.
Yvette Cooper said in the Commons that cuts to police numbers, community safety budgets and Sure Start and plans to abolish Asbos will mean "government policy does not live up to reality".
She welcomed home secretary Theresa May's announcement of a new action on "the pernicious effect of gang culture", but told MPs no new money has been made available.
May said £10m of home office funding will target 30 areas with "the most serious gang and youth problems".
"We will invest at least £1.2m of new resources over the next three years to improve services for young victims of sexual violence in our major urban areas," May said.
She also set out plans for anyone, including 16 and 17 year olds, convicted of using a knife to threaten and endanger others to be sent to jail.
May said a multi-agency approach will be used to tackle gangs, via a new "ending gangs and youth violence team of community activists, NHS experts and police".
"We will consult on making a new offence of possession of a firearm with intent to supply and on whether the penalty for illegal firearm importation should be increased," she said.
"We are also consulting on whether the police need new curfew powers."
May announced her plans after a report led by her and work and pension secretary Iain Duncan Smith and ordered by the prime minister after riots in English cities in August.
She said one in five of those arrested in connection with riots in London are known gang members.
"The fact that so many young people who are not involved in gangs were still willing to carry out such serious acts of criminality merely enforces the urgent need for action."
Cooper said she agrees with the government's aim of tackling gang culture, but claimed there is confusion over knife sentences – justice secretary Ken Clarke has spoken out against mandatory jail sentences.
She said the home office has already announced that the £10m announced by May "is not new money".
"Can this home secretary put her hand on her heart and tell the House that in the life of this parliament youth crime will fall?," she asked.
"The truth is that the government is making it harder for police and communities to tackle gang violence."
May described Cooper's comments as "a typical response from the honourable lady".
She said Asbos will be replaced with "measures that actually deliver for local communities", while the government is ensuring that Sure Start "focuses on the very families it was set up to support in the first place".
May added that Cooper "never misses a chance to show her fiscal irresponsibility" and said Labour policy is to cut police funding".
Keith Vaz, chair of the home affairs select committee, asked who will monitor the progress of the cross-departmental action plan on gangs.
May said the "inter-ministerial group I chair" will continue to oversee the strategy.
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