PM to name new action areas a year after Antisocial Behaviour Act was made law

Tony Blair was yesterday due to announce a massive expansion of target areas where the government clamps down on nuisance behaviour.

At an event to mark the first anniversary of the Antisocial Behaviour Act 2003 the prime minister was expected to announce that a further 50 areas in England and Wales would be added to the 10 existing zones.

The original areas were established when the Antisocial Behaviour Act became law 12 months ago with the aim of encouraging the police, the councils and other community organisations to work together to halt the perceived rise of “nuisance neighbours”, “aggressive” begging and graffiti.

At the same event in Victoria, central London, the government was due to unveil research into the increased use of powers to tackle bad behaviour – such as antisocial behaviour orders, injunctions and acceptable behaviour contracts – since the act became law.

Louise Casey, head of the Home Office’s antisocial behaviour unit, said: “The most recent figures indicate staggeringly high levels of use. I am not saying that the problem is solved – not at all. But social landlords at least now have the powers that they asked for to be able to tackle it.

“The cultural revolution is now only really beginning – this is where we say ‘enough is enough’.”

Casey added that, although she had in the past been critical of the performance of social landlords – particularly housing associations – for not making enough use of the new powers, she now felt levels of use were “pretty much where she would have expected them to be”.

News of the new target areas came in the same week that London’s Metropolitan Police Service was putting the finishing touches to a £175,000 campaign to create a standard approach to using ASBOs.

The aim of the campaign is to harmonise use of ASBOs among the Crown Prosecution Service, the police, housing associations and local authorities.

Paul Dunn, an antisocial behaviour consultant at the Metropolitan Police, said current confusion had led to ASBOs not being granted in certain cases.

He said if successful, the standardised approach would be rolled out across the country.

One year on

17 October 2003
Tony Blair launches antisocial behaviour strategy.

11 November 2003
Antisocial Behaviour Bill given royal assent

5 December 2003
Councils and housing associations are criticised for failing to tackle antisocial behaviour by the Audit Commission and the Met Police.

9 March 2004
David Blunkett tells frontline council and housing association staff to pull their socks up. “People want someone to do something, and that someone is going to be you.”

15 October 2004
High Court says social landlords can name and shame subjects of ASBOs.

26 October 2004
Government figures show one third of antisocial behaviour orders are breached.

28 October 2004
Blair and Blunkett speak at event to mark the act’s first anniversary.

Source

Housing Today

Postscript

The Department for Constitutional Affairs has said witnesses in antisocial behaviour cases are to receive protection while testifying to ensure cases make it to court.

The department also pledged the number of antisocial behaviour courts would be increased from 12 to 41 by the “end of November”.

The Department for Constitutional Affairs has announced that witnesses in antisocial behaviour cases will receive protection [while testifying??] to ensure the cases are heard in court. Lord [first name??] Falconer’s department has also said that the number of antisocial behaviour courts[have courts dedicated to that??] will be increased from 12 to 41 by the “end of November”.