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Swift Justice For Anti-Social Behaviour

14 November 2006

Home Secretary John Reid today announced further new powers to crack down on the behaviour of a loutish minority and bring swift justice for the law-abiding majority.

• A deferred Penalty Notice for Disorder (PND) that will give teeth to Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABC) and a new power to close premises causing persistent anti-social behaviour are among the Government proposals, which are a response to police and local authority requests to increase the range of options for those at the frontline to prevent and tackle anti-social behaviour.
   
  Radical new powers, introduced in the past three years, to protect communities from daily verbal abuse, graffiti or intimidation by gangs, have been used widely and successfully and brought respite to communities across the country.
   
  But the Government is committed to looking at what more can be done, as part of its drive to rebalance the criminal justice system in favour of the law-abiding majority, and to ensure a consistent, unremitting approach to tackling anti-social behaviour across the country.
   
  A consultation paper ‘Strengthening Powers to Tackle Anti-Social Behaviour’, published today proposes two key new powers:
• a Penalty Notice for Disorder designed to give teeth to informal Acceptable Behaviour Contracts. Police officers planning to issue a PND – for example drunken behaviour – will be able to suspend the financial penalty for up to six months, the maximum length for an ABC – on condition that the offender signs an ABC agreeing to keep out of trouble. Failure to follow the contract would mean an instant £80 financial penalty paid by the offender (or their parent). If the ABC is adhered to, the PND will be cancelled; and

a new last resort power to deal with premises which are the site of persistent anti-social behaviour and cause significant harm to local communities, allowing them to be closed down and sealed for a set period, regardless of tenure.
 
In addition, the Government is also seeking views on the need for other new powers for frontline police to disrupt and prevent ASB to strengthen their ability to bring immediate and lasting respite to communities. Swift and decisive action by the police enables them to nip anti-social behaviour in the bud and reduce crime. These measures will help to ensure the justice system is efficient and court time is reserved to deal with serious offenders.
 
Speaking to an audience of local residents in Bristol, the Home Secretary said:
 
“Anti-social behaviour ruins communities and can make people too afraid to leave their homes. We have already provided the police and other agencies with a number of powers to tackle anti-social behaviour and we want them to make full use of them. The police, local authorities and the public have advised us what more is needed and what works, and the Government has listened to that and is committed to supporting those on the frontline dealing with these problems.
 
“I think it is fair that where there is persistently excessive noise and rowdy behaviour or where residents intimidate and threaten their neighbours around the clock the consequences are clear and tough.  Having these measures will make the process fast, effective and with proper safeguards for all concerned, but especially those afflicted by anti-social behaviour.
 
“I want to put victims’ needs first. With these measures, victims will see action being taken quickly so that the incident is resolved – and in many cases the offending behaviour can be addressed before it takes hold.”
 
These proposals run alongside the far-reaching Respect programme looking at the root causes of anti-social behaviour, and supporting families and parents to stop the behaviour happening in the first place and forcing them to take help where necessary.
 
Other proposals being implemented to strengthen existing powers to tackle anti-social behaviour, but not being consulted on, include raising the top rate PND financial penalty from £80 to £100, increasing parents’ responsibility for such financial penalties incurred by under 16s and removing conflicting police targets that hinder the appropriate issuing of penalty notices.

 
Notes to Editors:

1. The Consultation Paper, “Strengthening Powers to Tackle Anti-Social Behaviour” is available at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/haveyoursay/
2. To see the current comprehensive list of penalty notice for disorder offences: http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/operational-policing/crime-disorder/index.html/212291/
3. In all, there were 13,000 acceptable behaviour contracts between October 2003 and September 2005. Figures provided by the Bristol Anti-Social Behaviour Team state that there were 52 crack house closures between January 2004 (when implemented) and September 2006. There were 175 ABCs between October 2003 and September 2006. 
    
4. The Respect Action Plan was published in January 2006 and sets out a framework of powers and approaches to promote respect positively; bear down uncompromisingly on anti-social behaviour; tackle its causes; and offer leadership and support to local people and local services. 
     
5. The Action Plan can be accessed via the internet www.respect.gov.uk
    
6. The Respect Task Force is headed by Louise Casey, the Government Co-ordinator for Respect.  The Task Force was formally established on 2 September 2005.

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