Antisocial behaviour What is antisocial behaviour Antisocial behaviour

Anti-social behaviour

What is anti-social behaviour? “Anti-social behaviour is virtually any intimidating or threatening activity that scares you or damages your quality of life” • • fly-tipping rubbish aggressive begging street drinking setting off fireworks late at night • rowdy, noisy behaviour • 'yobbish' behaviour • vandalism, graffiti and flyposting • dealing or buying drugs on the street

Why is it important? • Anti-social behaviour ruins lives. It doesn’t just make life unpleasant; it prevents the renewal of disadvantaged areas and creates an environment where more serious crime can take hold. • Anti-social behaviour is a major issue in some of the UK’s more deprived or disadvantaged communities. • Anti-social behaviour is also expensive. It is estimated to cost the British taxpayer £ 3. 4 bn a year.

Why does it happen? • Parenting Poor parenting skills, a weak parent/child relationship and a family history of problem behaviour. • School Truancy, exclusion and unchallenged bad behaviour. • Community life Living in deprived areas with disorder and neglect, lack of community spirit, living in areas with an already high-level of anti-social behaviour. • • Individual factors Drug and alcohol abuse, alienation and early involvement in anti-social behaviour. • There a range of supportive interventions available which can help individuals and/or their parents and families change their own behaviour and enable them to tackle some of the underlying problems.

Anti-social behaviour orders • Anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) are court orders which forbid specific threatening or intimidating actions. • An ASBO can ban a person from: • threatening, intimidating or disruptive actions • spending time with a particular group of friends • visiting certain areas • Anti-Social Behaviour orders can be used against any individual who is over the age of ten (10) years.

• ASBOs are in effect for a minimum of two years, and can be longer. • They are designed to protect victims, neighbours, or even whole communities from behaviour that has frightened or intimidated them, or damaged their quality of life. • These are civil orders - not criminal penalties – so they won’t appear on a suspect's criminal record. • However, if that person breaches an ASBO, they have committed a criminal offence, which is punishable by a fine or up to five years in prison.

Acceptable behaviour contracts • An acceptable behaviour contract (ABC), also known as an acceptable behaviour agreement, is an intervention designed to engage the individual in recognising their behaviour and its negative effects on others, in order to stop the offending behaviour • ABCs are not legally binding, but can be used in court as evidence in ASBO applications or in eviction or possession proceedings.

For and Against ASBOs • Recognition of unwanted behaviour • Inexpensive to put implement • Ineffective (more than half of all Asbos issued between 20042008 were breached) • Criminalises young people

Proposals for change • Replacement ASBO laws • http: //www. bbc. co. uk/news/uk-12378755