Listen
Tackling antisocial behaviour
25/10/2007
A review of how Government, local agencies and communities work together to tackle antisocial behaviour has been announced.
Minister for Community Safety Fergus Ewing outlined details of the review as he visited an early intervention family support project.
The Edinburgh project is commended in research, published today along with evaluation reports into dispersal and noise nuisance powers and figures for the use of all the measures which were made available to police and local authorities through the Antisocial Behaviour Act, passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2004.
Mr Ewing said:
"The Antisocial Behaviour Act has now been in force for three years and in some areas is making a real difference to the quality of people's lives across Scotland.
"Now is an appropriate time to take a fresh look at the ASB strategy, to work with local government, the police and other key interests, to see where it can be strengthened and improved - and community involvement enhanced.
"The dispersal research found that the orders provided welcome respite to local communities. However, residents were clear that dispersal worked mainly as a short-term measure and they often wanted more permanent solutions.
"Dispersal was seen as most appropriate when used as part of wider work involving local authority services such as mediation, diversionary activity and also parental support, such as that provided at the project I'm visiting.
"While dispersal and other powers have been used relatively infrequently, some of the Act's other provisions, including fixed penalty notices, noise nuisance and vehicle seizure powers, have been increasingly used by local agencies, though with considerable variations across Scotland.
"Our aim is to examine why - not to set targets, because it is outcomes that matter most to our hard-pressed communities. Clearly a low use of a particular enforcement power in one area may be considered to be the result of effective prevention and early intervention work by local agencies working together.
"Building on the various pieces of research, the review will help us develop a fuller understanding of the different local approaches, to identify where improvements are most needed and which solutions can best deliver for communities who for too long have suffered from antisocial behaviour.
"We recognise the valuable role of community wardens and the review will also examine how they can most effectively contribute to building safer communities.
"We're committed to promoting positive social behaviour as well as punishing and tackling the bad - but let's be clear, one must go equally with the other. In all of this, the Scottish Government's aim is to instil a culture of personal responsibility that must be at the heart of safe, strong communities."
Councillor Harry McGuigan, Community Wellbeing and Safety spokesperson for the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, welcomed the decision to review the national ASB strategy, given its "crucial importance" to communities.
"This is a useful chance to evaluate how the two spheres of government at a national and local level, along with local agencies and communities, can work together more effectively to address this pernicious issue that can blight the lives of people in our local communities," he added.
"We in local government look forward to working in partnership with the Scottish Government in not only tackling, but preventing antisocial behaviour and to ensure greater coherence with the community justice and the prevention and early intervention agendas."
Deputy Chief Constable Norma Graham, portfolio lead on antisocial behaviour for the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, added:
"We look forward to working closely with the Scottish Government to ensure the particular needs of victimised communities and individuals, whose lifestyles are severely affected by antisocial behaviour, are met.
"Addressing the multitude of issues associated with antisocial behaviour is a priority for the police service in Scotland. The Antisocial Behaviour Act has provided a range of effective tools with which to tackle such behaviour.
"While police play a pivotal role, it is only through the close engagement with, and the significant contributions made by, the Scottish Government and our key community planning partners, that we are able to secure the desired outcomes - engagement and intervention playing as strong a role as enforcement."
The objectives of the review are to:
- Develop an understanding of the use and effectiveness of key measures in the 2004 Act
- Consider the range of responses to tackling antisocial behaviour deployed by local agencies, including the use of community wardens
- Consider whether the current balance between prevention and enforcement is appropriate
- Determine ways in which communities could become more usefully involved in the process of tackling antisocial behaviour within their own communities
- Consider future needs for community safety communications designed to raise public awareness of national policy and local service delivery
- Inform the development of performance frameworks for Community Safety Partnerships
- Consult with and involve key stakeholders in determining future priorities
- Develop proposals for the improved operation of the ASB strategy
The Early Intervention Case Management Project in Edinburgh works with vulnerable families where the behaviour of one or more children aged under 12 gives cause for concern. The Local ASB Strategies report found the project to be cost-effective in terms of reducing risks of long-term social exclusion, poor educational attainment and the considerable costs to society that can result.