The real cost of anti-social behaviour

Learning Objectives To understand that we all have a social responsibility to behave appropriately To appreciate that the costs of dealing with litter, graffiti and vandalism affect us all To consider some of the costs of providing facilities for students

Art or vandalism? What about Banksy? Who pays to clean it up? Our behaviour can have financial consequences – the cost to society of vandalism can be considerable. What is your opinion of vandals and vandalism?

What is anti-social behaviour Vandalism is one type of anti-social behaviour In groups discuss what other types you can think of?

Vandalism Vandalism refers to any kind of damage done on purpose, or for no good reason When you damage something that is not yours it is called criminal damage Vandalised buildings, cars, bus stops, lights etc. make an area look neglected and unsafe Who pays to repair the damage?

Littering Littering is deliberately dropping or leaving rubbish in public spaces It makes the area look unsightly It can pollute natural water sources It can cause drains to block and flood It can be dangerous to local wildlife Who pays to clean it up?

Graffiti Graffiti is writing or drawings scribbled, scratched or sprayed illicitly onto walls or other surfaces in public places Some graffiti can be considered as art Much is unsightly and obscene It can make places seem uncared for Who pays to clean it up?

Aggressive or abusive conduct Behaving in an unacceptable way in public It can be frightening and intimidating for local residents It can result in physical violence and injury It can lead to more serious criminal activity Who pays to resolve issues?

The impact “In the area where I live there is vandalism everywhere, even the school has been targeted. During the last six weeks fences have been knocked over, window smashed and graffiti sprayed all over our new science block. The last time they came, they smashed glass all over the playing field so we couldn’t use that until the mess had been cleaned up.”

Impact: the price we pay In 2015 over £1 million was spent repairing vandalism in Scottish schools. Figures for England and Northern Ireland are unavailable but could be even higher. (BBC) Local authorities spend thousands of pounds each year clearing up after acts or vandalism, graffiti or littering, they also have to fund services to deal with anti-social behaviour. Where does this money come from?

We all pay! The money it costs to put things right comes out of our pockets We may not pay directly but the money we pay in taxes will be used by the local authority to clean up and repair So ultimately anti-social behaviour is a problem for us all – it certainly costs us all!

Impact: more than money People feel angry, hurt, and sometimes frightened Facilities can’t be used e.g. a damaged play park An area can become more prone to other forms of crime e.g. because of damaged street lights An area gets a bad name or becomes a ‘no go’ area

A better spend of money? The school has calculated that it could save £20,000 a year if vandalism, graffiti and littering is reduced. It has been agreed that this money can be spent on new student facilities

The task In groups: Agree and plan what facilities you would spend the money on – include outline costs Plan how you would persuade your fellow students to support the plan, behave more responsibly so that the planned savings are made Choose one person in the group to give a one minute presentation of your ideas to the rest of the group.

The best ideas? Listen to what each group has planned Which ideas for new student facilities are the best? Which group has the best ideas for engaging with other students and encouraging them to participate? Vote now …. But be prepared to give a reason for your vote!