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Public input into tackling antisocial behaviour

People affected by antisocial behaviour will have the right to force action from the police and local agencies through new proposals.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Home Secretary Theresa May revealed plans to introduce faster and more effective powers to stop the dangerous and yobbish behaviour of those who make victims’ lives a misery. 

The existing top down approach will be turned on its head to ensure local solutions are found to local problems with a focus on the impact of victims and neighbourhoods.

The antisocial behaviour White Paper, Putting Victims First: more effective responses to antisocial behaviour, will reduce 19 complex existing powers to six simple and flexible new ones.

And for the first time, victims who feel their problems are not being taken seriously enough will have the right to force action through a newly introduced Community Trigger. The Trigger will be trialled in Manchester, Brighton and Hove and West Lindsey in Lincolnshire from 1 June.

Putting victims first

Publishing the White Paper the Home Secretary, Theresa May, said: ‘Everyone has the right to feel safe in their own homes and neighbourhoods.  Yet thousands of people around the country are still having their every day lives blighted by antisocial behaviour. 

‘Many don’t even report it, convinced it won’t be taken seriously.  And sadly too often they have been right.

‘It’s time to put victims first. That’s what this Government will do. Our new plans aim to give victims the chance to have their problem dealt with immediately. We will slash the confusing and cumbersome legislation that leaves victims without a voice and police without the ability to really tackle the problem. Police and local agencies will now have clarity and the powers to come down hard on those who inflict anti-social behaviour on others.’

The government will publish a draft bill for pre-legislative scrutiny to ensure parliament, victims and frontline practitioners are involved in shaping the new legislation and that we deliver effective laws that last a generation.

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Published 22 May 2012