ASB: Causes perceptions Roger Howard October 2005

1. ASB: Causes & perceptions Roger Howard October 2005

3. The concerns about irresponsible or anti-social behaviour among a minority of the population have become a touchstone issue for concerns about personal responsibility � such as littering, vandalism and noisy neighbours Rising concerns about anti-social behaviour are especially striking since these have occurred against a background of generally falling crime. You can see from this graphic that the key themes constituting Anti Social Behaviour have more or less risen continuously in the period covered. The top concerns detailed in the British Crime Survey are litter and graffiti, teenagers hanging around, drug use and drug litter. Lower levels of concern are expressed about racial harassment and neighbour nuisance � this is because these tend forms of ASB manifest themselves against properties � rather on the streets and are less dispersed. The concerns about irresponsible or anti-social behaviour among a minority of the population have become a touchstone issue for concerns about personal responsibility � such as littering, vandalism and noisy neighbours Rising concerns about anti-social behaviour are especially striking since these have occurred against a background of generally falling crime. You can see from this graphic that the key themes constituting Anti Social Behaviour have more or less risen continuously in the period covered. The top concerns detailed in the British Crime Survey are litter and graffiti, teenagers hanging around, drug use and drug litter. Lower levels of concern are expressed about racial harassment and neighbour nuisance � this is because these tend forms of ASB manifest themselves against properties � rather on the streets and are less dispersed.

13. The Barnet Press A BOY, A GIRL, AND A TOY PISTOL A youth of Grange Avenue, North Finchley appeared in court on Friday for firing a pistol in the street and endangering the lives of residents of North Finchley. A girl living in Percy Road was struck by a pellet from the pistol fired by the defendant. When asked if she thought the defendant fired deliberately at her, claimed �I have reason to believe that he did�. The defendant who did not own the pistol was one of three boys who were together at the time. Whilst the pistol did not come within regulations in regard to dangerous firearms, it had a very powerful spring. The defendant was fined and ordered to pay costs.

14. The Barnet Press Seven youths are fined after Sunday incident An incident on Sunday evening when about 20 youths left an East Finchley youth club and then behaved in a disorderly way led to the appearance of seven of them at Highgate Court on Wednesday. They all pleaded guilty to using insulting behaviour and were each fined and ordered to pay costs. P.C. Samuel McVie said about 20 youths were seen walking along High Road, East Finchley. The commandeered the footway and pedestrians had to walk in the road. Some of the defendants threw fireworks, which were noisy. There were old people�s dwellings nearby and the youths were yelling. They all boarded a bus and the officer said he followed in a police car. Some of the youths got off at various stops and he saw others running up and down the stairs. Some of the youths had not paid the fare. The seven accused were then arrested.

15. Macros causes of asb & crime social factors e.g. demographic, consumerism, community decline, drugs & alcohol economic factors ( good and bad, removal of �guardians�) changing culture e.g. deference & standards, attitudes to public services greed & likelihood of detection Technology & globalisation

16. Micro causes of asb  Environmental factors ( design etc) Housing ( housing management etc) Community ( facilities for children, lack of social capital etc) Personal & family behaviour( parenting, mental health & substances etc) Educational (truancy, literacy etc) Enforcement ( lack of responses etc)

17. Audit Commission: Misspent Youth (1996)�Breaking into the cycle of antisocial behaviour�

18. What will reduce asb? Prevention Early interventions Detection Enforcement & justice Reducing �re-offending�

19. Prevention Sure Start Good neighbour schemes Neighbourhood wardens Youth participation Projects for young people Tackling truancy and exclusion Mentoring schemes Clauses in tenancy agreements CCTV Inter-generational initiatives

20. Early interventions Drug and alcohol services Mediation/restorative justice Third party reporting schemes for racist Harassment and follow-up support Rapid removal of graffiti and abandoned cars Detached youth workers Support for people with mental health & other problems ABCs

21. Enforcement Application of tenancy agreement provisions including evictions Premises closures & licensing breaches ASBOs & responding to breaches in collaboration with other agencies) Prosecution of criminal offences

22.  Reducing �re-offending� Family support projects Drug, alcohol & mental health treatment support Youth Offending Team and probation/police work with prolific perpetrators (e.g. community service) Education, training, jobs & housing

23. Some challenges Investment in prevention vs enforcement Modelling pro-social behaviour Re-orienting public service to be �victim/witness/customer� led Not sliding into more exclusion Giving a visible focus to community safety Building social capital

24. Crime Concern can support you Service & performance improvement programmes +strategy development Quality assurance programmes & knowledge transfer (eg YJB Prev Prog Support ; S17) Action Learning Sets (eg for high crack BCU areas) �off-the-shelf� service interventions menus & model

25. Some other Crime Concern results Birmingham Safer Neighbourhoods 14% reported crime drop in 5 neighbourhoods (7% across City) 29% reported youth crime decrease (12% across City) Youth Inclusion Programmes 60% reduction in arrrests of YP Community merit Rochdale � criminal damage down 16%, burglaries down 35% in 2003 c70% reduction in calls regarding young people being a nuisance

26. For further information: Roger.howard@crimeconcern.org.uk