ASB: Causes & perceptions Roger Howard October 2005

Putting ASB in the crime & disorder perceptions debate Since 1995, 25%+ less crime overall Burglary down 42% Violent crime down 25%+ Victim risk down: 40% to 26% in 8 years Gun & sex crimes up Sentences longer More in prisons Greatest spending on CJS ever

Public Concerns Rise

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.

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 peoples 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.

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

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)

Audit Commission: Misspent Youth (1996) Breaking into the cycle of antisocial behaviour Inadequate parenting Aggressive, hyperactive behaviour Truancy and exclusions Peer group pressure Unstable living conditions Lack of training and employment Substance misuse Parenthood Parenting programmes Structured nursery education School support Positive leisure opportunities Employment & training opportunities Facilities for treatment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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