Tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) is a key issue for the Government and features in the Home Office Strategic Plan 2004-08 and in National Crime Strategy for 2008-11.
Since 2004-05, crime and disorder reduction partnerships (CDRPs) have been responsible for delivering an ASB Strategy and been funded to employ an Anti-Social Behaviour Coordinator.
We support a forum for all ASB Coordinators in the North East to share good practice, exchange issues and ideas. Many areas have joint ASB teams and units, involving the police, local authorities and warden schemes. As a result we have tough ASB tools such as ASB orders, acceptable behaviour contracts and fixed penalty notices to stamp out ASB in our communities.
The latest British Crime Survey figures show that for the 12 months up to March 2008 overall recorded crime fell by 11 per cent in the North East. The total recorded crime rate in the North East (at 88 offences per 1,000 population) was below the average for England and Wales (at 91 per 1,000).
In January 2006, the Government launched its Respect Action Plan. It sets out how to encourage respect in communities, and reducing anti-social behaviour. In January 2007, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, South Tyneside and Sunderland were among 40 places named as Respect Areas. These Areas are running a number of projects including:
- family intervention projects that will challenge and change the behaviour of the most problematic households
- parenting programmes for families at risk of/or behaving anti-socially
- face the people sessions where the police, local authorities and others can be accountable to their local public.
A North East Anti-Social Behaviour scheme to reduce the use of illegal and anti-social motorcycles has gained national recognition. The Stop Them in Their Tracks initiative, which is running in Middlesbrough, has been announced as regional winner in the Tilley Awards 2008. This year is the tenth anniversary of the Tilley Awards, which were set up to recognise schemes and projects that reduce crime.
The North East police forces and agencies will be taking part in Not in My Neighbourhood Week in October 2008, which gives then the opportunity to show the work they do in the communities to make them safer.
