Introducing the Anti-social Behaviour Principles

Following on from Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week, which ran between 18^th – 24^th July, the Government’s Anti-social Behaviour Strategic Board has developed a set of principles which seek to describe a consistent approach to understanding and addressing Anti-Social behaviour (ASB) in local communities.

The principles are designed to be used by any agency/partner involved in tackling ASB, for example, housing associations and local authorities, and implementation of them will be viewed as good practice to support an effective multi-agency response to ASB.

The five principles are:

1. Victims should be encouraged to report ASB and expect to be taken seriously. They should have clear ways to report, have access to help and support to recover, and be given the opportunity to choose restorative approaches to tackling ASB.
2. Agencies will have clear and transparent processes to ensure that victims can report ASB concerns, can understand how the matter will be investigated and are kept well informed of progress once a report is made.
3. Agencies and practitioners will work across boundaries to identify, assess and tackle ASB and its underlying causes. Referral pathways should be clearly set out between services and published locally. This includes pathways for the community trigger and health services.
4. The public’s ASB concerns should always be considered both nationally and locally in strategic needs assessments for community safety. Best practice should be shared through a network of ASB experts within each community safety partnership, each policing area and nationally.
5. Adults and children who exhibit ASB should have the opportunity to take responsibility for their behaviour and repair the harm caused by it. Agencies should deliver appropriate interventions, which may include criminal justice options, based on the seriousness, risks and vulnerabilities of the case.

It would be wise for housing associations and local authorities to consider incorporating these principles directly or redrafting their existing anti-social behaviour policies to reflect the guidance that has been endorsed by the Anti-social Behaviour Strategic Board. For reference, the Board includes the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities as a member and partners are encouraged to assess local practice against the standard outlined in the principles.

You can visit the guidance by visiting here.

MSB were proud to join the UK’s first ASB Awareness Week last month, which brought together people and organisations from across the country to take a stand against anti-social behaviour and make communities safer.