Blogs ...

We invite different bloggers to share their opinions on their work. We also invite everyone who reads the blogs to let us know what they think about them and to comment back to the blogger.

All blogs represent the personal viewpoints of the writers themselves and do reflect the opinions of LT&RC or it's policies.

Has the term Anti-Social Behaviour become a sugar-coated buzz phrase for a range of behaviours we now tolerate rather than challenge? Or, to put it another way, has some criminal activity now become such an everyday occurrence that we now accept it as inevitable and subsequently it has become de-classified?

More and more offenders appear to becoming drawn into repeating patterns of anti-social behaviour, whilst the judicial system makes allowances for the increasing number of perpetrators coming before it. Perceptions can of course be deceiving. However, on a month by month basis you can become aware of, or witness, one or two incidents a month which seem to be forming into a pattern. For myself, I have noticed this, and I trust my barometer on these events and what they appear to show.

It has been speculated upon that we will begin to suffer from a rise in crime and, in particular, from more hate crimes than normal, due in part to the increased pressure of job losses and financial worries that provoke people to provide for themselves and to blame someone for what they see as societies shortcomings. As an example of what I am talking about, review the incidents below (all of which have happened recently, apart from the first, which has been ongoing for nearly a year):

1) Statutory housing residents suffering long term neighbour nuisance that has attracted visits from the police, an armed response unit, the local noise team, anti-social behaviour unit and housing management staff, and which has continued even though a district judge has imposed an injunction on the person concerned.

2) A group of friends drinking in a pub when an unprovoked deluge of racist comments is hurled at them by a group of drunken patrons forcing them to leave immediately to prevent the situation escalating out of control.

3) A line of drivers queuing at a roundabout when an inconsiderate motorist overtakes on the wrong side of the road, causing bedlam when forcing a route through the traffic.

4) Youths raiding a bin in a park, removing glass bottles which they then proceeded to throw and smash against the goal posts in the park whilst other youths dismantle health and safety barriers around a deep hole in the pavement to use as skis in the snow, causing an immediate safety hazard.

At what point do we say Enough is Enough? We may have national campaigns and The Home Office producing a guide for MPs on the current state of affairs, but the reality is that offenders are rarely challenged; it takes forever to bring them to court, then when they are put before a magistrate or a judge, the impetus is always to keep them in the community. Surely the message from those working with anti-social behaviour is please stop pussy-footing around and give our police, enforcement teams and community wardens greater support to do the job they want to do.

CSAS Training can be the first step towards local authorities gaining greater powers to effectively deal with a range of anti-social behaviour in their boroughs. Contact LT&RC for further details on this training, and take the first step in regaining some ground in the battle against anti-social behaviour in our communities. DF