Victims of anti-social behaviour often face a combination of persistent noise nuisance, verbal abuse, harassment, and intimidation – the most common types of anti-social behaviours – and often with no end in sight, according to a report by the Victims’ Commissioner, Baroness Newlove.
Some victims of ASB feel they were left with no choice but to move house entirely to escape. They also face systemic inaction from responsible agencies, poor understanding among staff and a lack of agency collaboration; reporting can itself feel a burden, as victims feel ignored, dismissed, or overburdened by excessive reporting requirements; and Anti-Social Behaviour Case Reviews rarely resolves issues.
Baroness Newlove said: “Anti-social behaviour blights lives and communities. All too often it is not addressed effectively, often downplayed, and poorly understood. Despite my previous report setting out clear recommendations, I am disappointed that so little meaningful progress has been made. Too many victims continue to suffer, with many stuck in the same patterns of anti-social behaviour and facing the same perpetrators as five years ago. The time for empty promises is over – we now need real, tangible progress.”
She recalled that in 2007, ‘a campaign of anti-social behaviour tore apart my family’s ordinary life and culminated with the senseless murder of my husband, Garry. My story is only unique in its tragic outcome. The relentless harassment, the ignored pleas for help, the sense of powerlessness – these are the grim realities countless ordinary families face every day.’
Garry’s death should have been a turning point. Yet, 17 years later, I fear too little has changed. Victims are being failed and pushed to the brink. We urgently need a system that not only protects victims but also restores communities and transforms homes from places of fear into places of sanctuary.”
See also the op-ed that appeared in The Daily Telegraph on September 9 and accompanied the launch of the report; also online as a blog on the Commissioner’s website.
Comments
Heather Kidd, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: “Anti-social behaviour can have a devastating impact on communities and individuals, and councils are committed to working with partners to protect residents from offenders who can make the lives of the people they target a misery.
“Victims report their experiences to a number of organisations including their council, housing provider and the police, which means tackling it requires a multi-agency response with adequate powers and resourcing to take action. The LGA is working with councils to advise government how to achieve its stated aim of tackling anti-social behaviour. This will include better information sharing between agencies and better co-ordinated action.”
And for the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), Joint Leads on Local Policing, PCCsw Matt Storey and Chris Nelson, said: “We know that anti-social behaviour has a huge impact on people’s lives and wellbeing, and the testimonies contained in this report are powerful. These examples of anti-social behaviour are not ‘just’ neighbourhood disputes, they highlight persistent and distressing crimes against those who subsequently live in fear of violence, harassment and damage to their property.
“Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) work with their police forces to ensure individuals can live freely and safely in their homes and communities through measures to prevent and combat anti-social behaviour, as well as to provide effective support services for victims.
“Whilst PCCs fund services to support those victims of criminal ASB, more must be done to fill the void that exists in terms of funding and support when anti-social behaviour falls short of a crime. This needs to be matched by funding to address the increased demand on existing support services that are already under significant pressure.
“We endorse the report’s recommendations around improving the ease, quality and consistency of the anti-social behaviour Case Review process for victims. To ensure this recommendation results in tangible change, we ask the Government to reinstate provisions previously in the Criminal Justice Bill that place a requirement for PCCs to be involved within the process, both through promoting it and providing an escalation route for victims.”
