The police are determined to keep up the pressure on persistent anti-social behaviour offenders, Chief Constable of Leicestershire Constabulary and ACPO lead on neighbourhood policing Matt Baggott has said.
Responding to a speech on anti-social behaviour made on May 8 by the Home Secretary, CC Matt Baggott said:
“We know from experience that persistent offenders have a disproportionately unwelcome impact on neighbourhoods through anti-social behaviour, and that is why police forces across the country have strategies in place for successfully targeting those few who are responsible for repeat offending. The rollout of neighbourhood policing teams to every area, committed to understanding their communities and tackling local issues, gives us new impetus as we bear down on anti-social behaviour wherever it occurs. The significant and sustained rise in confidence in policing shows we are having an impact.
“Across regions the police service will adopt strategies appropriate to dealing with the particular problems in each area. Nationally, there is an opportunity to learn from best practice and with other local agencies, share lessons where focussed approaches have proved successful.
“ACPO welcomes the Home Secretary’s call for wider use of anti-social behaviour powers and for using those powers to intervene earlier, to divert young people responsible for crime and disorder early in their criminal careers. For those that persist, or who commit serious crimes, we will resort to the full weight of the law to curtail their offending. We would encourage our partners in strategic and crime and disorder partnerships to get personal with persistent offenders and deal thoroughly with both their behaviour and its cause.”
What the Government terms a new ‘action squad’ will work with police and local agencies to help them take on the problem of anti-social behaviour.
The work will be backed by £255,000 of new funding, and the Home Secretary called on police, anti-social behaviour coordinators and housing officers to use of all the tools at their disposal to stop low-level violence and street thuggery.
Stopping the 7pc
Police believe that 7pc of persistent troublemakers cause most of the problems, and knowing that can help them to stop it, according to the Home Office. For example, early intervention makes a big difference, and new figures publishe show that across the country local agencies are getting involved earlier.
A National Audit Office report on anti-social behaviour (December 2006) found that early intervention was a key factor in deterring people from further crime:
65% of people stopped their anti-social behaviour after the first intervention
85% of people stopped after the second intervention
93% of people stopped after the third
Also, a study published by the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) showed that the use anti-social behaviour tools has increased to 26,675 per year – an increase of 258pc since the survey began in 2003, when the figure stood at 7,444.
Over the same period, the number of ASBOs issued fell from 4,123 in 2005 to 2,706 in 2006, indicating the wider use of other early intervention measures. Measures outlined by the Home Secretary include:
local authorities and statutory agencies sharing information and working together to expose the criminal behaviour of persistent offenders
a joint review by the Home Office and the Department for Transport to ask passengers and staff on public transportation about the issue
courts will be required to consider parenting orders when giving anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) to 10-17 year olds
New bill
The Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill extends crack house closure order powers to cover more serious types of anti-social behaviour. It will also include a statutory requirement to review ASBOs on all under 18 year-olds after one year to ensure the ASBO is working and to pave the way for other interventions if necessary.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith believes nobody should have to endure anti-social behaviour. ‘We have put in place the teams, the powers and the know-how so that every community benefits from effective action that works. The government is firmly on the side of communities where people have had enough and there will be no escape for persistent offenders.
‘If you can’t behave properly it won’t just be the police watching you, but local councils, housing benefit officers, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and the TV Licensing authority.’
