Antisocial behaviour can mean different things to different people. The Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 defines antisocial behaviour as:
- acting in a manner that causes or is likely to cause alarm or distress; or
- pursuing a course of conduct that causes or is likely to cause alarm or distress to at least one person not of the same household as the perpetrator.
A guide to the 2004 Act gives practitioners an overview of the contents of the Act and how it can be used to resolve antisocial behaviour.
Street and Environmental Antisocial Behaviour
Antisocial behaviour can take place in almost any area and present itself in a number of forms. It can take place in the street in the form of rowdy and intimidating groups, antisocial drinking or drug misuse.
Environmental antisocial behaviour can give communities the appearance of decline and incudes such things as graffiti, littering and waste dumping and dog fouling.
Nuisance Neighbours
The other main form of antisocial behaviour is nuisance neighbours; an antisocial minority who can destroy communities with their lack of regard for the quality of other peoples' lives. This type of antisocial behaviour can make people afraid to leave their own homes, especially as victim and perpetrator live close to each other. It includes:
- Intimidation
- Harassment
- Noise nuisance
- Rowdy behaviour such as swearing and fighting
- Waste dumping
- Hoax calls
- Animal-related problems
- Vehicle-related problems
Tackling antisocial behaviour is part of your council's wider efforts to improve community safety and is central to their overall vision to improve the quality of life for all. Councils now have a wide range of services in place to prevent and tackle antisocial behaviour.
If you are the victim of antisocial neighbours you should contact the police to report the incident and your local authority for advice about support services in your area.