This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Tackling antisocial behaviour
28/10/2006
Hard-fought antisocial behaviour measures brought into force two years ago today are delivering real improvements in communities across Scotland.
Speaking on the second anniversary of the Antisocial Behaviour (Scotland) Act, Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson also highlighted that more and more of the key measures within the Act, like dispersal orders and closure orders, were being used every month.
The Minister made clear that she believed that local agencies and the police now had the right balance of powers and responsibilities to help their communities stand up to antisocial behaviour. The task now, she stressed, was to ensure that measures were used effectively, consistently and appropriately wherever and whenever people needed them.
Key indicators show that over the two years since the Act was passed:
- 12 dispersal orders have been used to break up patterns of antisocial behaviour in communities across Scotland
- 21 neighbourhoods have seen some respite from the antisocial actions of individuals and familes thanks to closure orders
- 1,908 neighbours have got a bit of much-needed peace thanks to warnings issued, with 118 fixed penalty notices handed down to the worst culprits
- 170 'boy-racers' have had their vehicles seized and over 1,900 have been warned about their actions
- Over 3,000 fines have been handed out in Tayside (to March) during a pilot of fixed penalty notices
In addition, although legislated for before the 2004 Act, more and more ASBOs (antisocial behaviour orders) are being sought and granted by the courts. There were over 200 in 2004-5 - an increase of over 60 per cent on the previous year.
Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson said:
"No one underestimates the problems of crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour that continue to inflict damage on some of our lives, homes and communities. But the facts show that two years on from passing the most significant piece of legislation ever to tackle antisocial behaviour in Scotland, our country is becoming a safer place.
"Crime in Scotland is falling. Last year there were 20,000 fewer crimes recorded by the police. Housebreaking is now around half the level it was in 1997. Violent crime is now at its lowest level since devolution.
"Record numbers of police officers are now helping prevent and detect crime - nearly 1,500 more now than seven years ago. And, thanks to investment to support the antisocial behaviour powers, they are joined on the streets by over 550 community wardens - with warden schemes up and running in every local authority area in the country.
"Two years on from the new ASB powers coming into force, the police and other local agencies are successfully helping communities to tackle the blight of antisocial behaviour. Every month more and more of the measures are being used in more and more parts of the country. There are no instant solutions and change doesn't happen overnight but, quite simply, lives are improving.
"At the same time we are seeing community members making a personal stand against local problems. Over the last two years Hugh Henry and I have met many of them. Decent, ordinary people taking the opportunity to rebuild the kind of respect for life and property that had been lost over the past two decades.
"I believe we have struck the right balance in giving the authorities the powers and responsibilities needed to tackle this problem. The challenge is to use the powers and resources in an effective, consistent and appropriate way whenever and wherever people's lives risk being dragged into the gutter by a minority who couldn't care less where they live or how they behave.
"Decent, law-abiding people want and deserve to feel safe in their homes and on their streets. They also want to see people taking some responsibility for their own lives and actions. I believe that the ASB Act is helping to deliver reforms and results on both those fronts."
The Antisocial Behaviour (Scotland) Act 2004 received Royal Assent in July 2004, with the main provisions coming into force at the end of October 2004.
The Antisocial Behaviour (Scotland) Bill introduced a broad package of measures, including:
- Extending Anti-Social Behaviour Orders to 12- to 15-year-olds
- Introducing focused, visible Community Reparation Orders
- Extending the availability of electronic tagging of children
- Banning the sale of spray paint to under-16s
- Strengthening the duty on local agencies to involve communities in drawing up antisocial behaviour strategies
- Strengthening the range of options available to children's hearings for dealing with antisocial behaviour
- Strengthened penalties for litter, fly-tipping, graffiti and abandoned cars
- Giving local authorities the power to issue fixed penalty notices for litter
- Strengthened local authorities' powers to tackle noisy neighbours
- Strengthening local authorities' powers to deal with landlords who don't tackle antisocial behaviour by their tenants through a national landlord registration scheme
- Giving the police powers to close premises where drug-dealing or other antisocial behaviour takes place and to disperse groups where there is anti-social behaviour
- Introducing Parenting Orders requiring parents to act in the best interests of their children
- Introducing fixed penalty notices for some antisocial behaviour
Local agencies have been tasked with tackling antisocial behaviour through an appropriate mix of prevention, early intervention, enforcement and rehabilitation measures. This has been backed up by £130 million of Executive investment between 2004-2008 for tackling ASB and promoting community safety. Executive funding is tied to antisocial behaviour outcome agreements to deliver tangible improvements for local communities - and not to the number of ASBOs taken out or other specific measure granted.
Later this month, the Executive will be publishing a newsletter setting out how the ASB Act and other community safety initiatives are contributing to a safer Scotland. If you would like to sign up for a copy of the newsletter please contact: asbmail@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Earlier this week the Standing Up to Antisocial Behaviour Awards marked the contribution of individuals and groups who have joined the effort to rid Scotland of antisocial behaviour.