Home Office Good Practice Seminars
Violent Crime Seminar
Workshops - 16 September
Workshop 3
ASB - Supporting communities in gathering and presenting evidence
Martin O'Connell and Sam McConnell, Oldham Against Crime Partnership
The workshop covered how Oldham Community Safety Unit are tackling Anti-social behaviour (ASB). Throughout the workshop delegates were invited to ask questions and share their experiences. The key 'good -practice' points include:
ASB is different from other offences in that the victim and witnesses are likely to know the offender and live close by.
ASB officer carries out a risk assessment on each complaint and may make a number of interventions including:
Target hardening victims property
Provide a home-link alarm
Provide CCTV home kit for 'reassurance' (but incidents recorded can also be used as evidence)
Give diaries / Dictaphones for victims to record incidents.
Set up witness self support groups - put them in touch with each other if they agree so that they don't feel alone.
Target ASB ringleaders and then put an intervention programme in place to stop others taking their place.
Note that the risk to victims peaks at two points - once when the offender is informed of the complaint and once when the evidence is disclosed to the defendant (Hence always go for an interim order)
Undertake a 'dry-run' to court with victims / witnesses to help them feel more confident
Perhaps the key message is to adopt a twin-track approach of enforcement and intervention (e.g. using youth intervention programmes). It is also important to keep other agencies informed of you actions so that there is a consistent approach. In Oldham this inter-agency support and communication is provided by the Tactical Business Group whose members include the police, community safety unit, Hosing, Trading standards, Youth Services, and Transport services.
Oldham have had a 70% success rate with their ASBOs and 85% success rate with their Acceptable Behavioural Contracts. Sam McConnell, the Anti-Social Behaviour co-ordinator is happy to share his experiences if you would like to know more.
Download the Supporting communities in gathering and presenting evidence PowerPoint presentation (101 Kb)
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