Crime Reduction - Helping to Reduce Crime in Your Area

Innovative Practice in Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour: Guidance for members of Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships

Title: Innovative Practice in Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour: Guidance for members of Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships
Authors: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Number of pages: 28
Date published: March 2003

Since the introduction of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) have taken responsibility for co-ordination of dealing with anti-social behaviour and community safety. The following guide provides practitioners with information upon:

• developing strategies to map the nature of the problem as it occurs in private rented and owner occupied areas as well as in areas of social housing

• overcoming barriers to information sharing amongst partner agencies

• methods of building community confidence and the development of initiatives to address the underlying problem causes

• developing successful multiagency partnerships including working with private landlords

• devising effective interventions including the use of prevention, enforcement and resettlement initiatives.

Based on the research findings at Sheffield Hallam University "Centre for Regional and Social Research" (CRESR) and University of York "Centre for Housing Policy" (CHP), the guide looks at effective intervention problems and suggests improvement to anti-social behaviour management.

The majority of effective interventions involve a wide range of local agencies such as:

• police

• social landlords

• neighbourhood wardens

• youth offending teams

• schools

• health workers

• social workers

• community development officers

• probation officers.

A Framework for action

As public concern increases over the damaging effects of Anti-Social Behaviour and youth nuisance, a variety of innovative schemes and projects have been developed to address these complex and dynamic problems. The interventions should include the core elements

• understanding problem nature

• engagement of residents and building community confidence

• established multi agency partnerships

• effective interventions.

By referring to these core elements when considering innovative practice, it is hoped the guide will help the CDRPs deal more effectively with all anti-social behaviour aspects.

Key determinants of anti-social behaviour are recognised, such as resident perception, location context, the negative scapegoating of disadvantaged communities, and reluctance to take the needed action. 

Monitoring and Recording the Extent and Nature of the Problem

Collecting data to accurately map the incidence and extent of anti-social behaviour and youth nuisance is problematic, as information is gathered from a wide range of separate data sources and systems. Mapping the monitoring of problems can be approached through:

• development of a GIS. mapping system and a dedicated crime and disorder data base

• feasibility studies and surveys

• evaluation of initiatives

• quality of life indicators and social data as well as crime data.

Engaging residents in anti-social behaviour initiatives

Sanctions that can be used to stop anti-social behaviour and youth nuisance in area of private housing:

• ASBOs
  stops individual from specific anti-social acts, such as harassment, intimidation, vandalism etc.

• ABCs
  voluntary agreements between individual and police/other agencies, encouraging to take responsibility for their unacceptable behaviour

• Covenants
  where a landlord can choose to put a freehold covenant on the sale, prohibiting nuisance and annoyance

• Injunctions
  Local Authorities have the power to seek injunctions against non tenants

• Environmental Protection Act 1990
  noise nuisance or other behaviours which amount to a statutory nuisance which can be controlled through environmental legislation.

Multi-Agency Partnerships

A range of multi-agency partnerships are being developed, according to range, perpetrators and location. Three distinct models were identified in the Blackthorn Crime and Anti-Social behaviour project (CASPAR).

• Strategic Partnerships
  agree strategic priorities to promote community safety

• Operational Partnerships
  focus upon the specific areas of concern contained within the neighbourhood

• Partnerships to co-ordinate interventions to deal with individual perpetrators
  concerned with identifying and targeting individuals.

Features of successful partnerships include clear structures, mature, well established communication, high involvement, ability to deal with conflict, planned strategic and operational responses, monitoring, evaluation, and willingness to review and change structure.

Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs)
The main enforcement tool considered in the research were ASBOs. CDRPs reported mixed experiences on there usage. The majority of ASBOs are used to deal with problems on Local Authority housing estates, yet can be used to deal with anyone over the age of 10. There is evidence that suggests ASBOs are seen as a social housing tool, as there are very few proceedings against private rented tenants or owner.

ASBO advantages over other housing action

• focus upon individual perpetrators

• action preventative rather than exclusive

• reduce risk that problem can be displaced

• Preferable to injunctions because of greater availability against young people

• ASBOs targeted at ring leaders can provide a deterrent effect on a wider group

• ASBO's are civil orders, but breach is a criminal offence, attracting criminal penalty.
  

Summary

These research findings illustrate the diverse range of innovative approaches that are being developed by local CDRPs and their member agencies to deal with anti-social behaviour. Much wider long-term neighbourhood problems appear to be the root of anti-social behaviour. It is essential interventions are well planned and take into account the short and long term needs. Success requires long-term commitment from agencies operating at both operational and strategic level.

Copies of "Innovative Practice in Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour: Guidance for members of Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships" are available from:

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
PO BOX 236
Wetherby
West Yorkshire
LS23 7NB
or e-mail: odpm@twoten.press.net

Last update: Tuesday, August 26, 2008