CSI: Index Anti Social Behaviour Fear of Crime Home Safety Personal Safety Problem Neighbours Vehicles Domestic Abuse Child Safety Slips, Trips & Falls	Anti Social Behaviour Introduction What is anti social behaviour? Advice FAQs Email a problem you’d like us to answer Links Introduction The term anti-social behaviour covers a broad spectrum of activities which can affect communities: anything from noise and verbal abuse to property damage or street violence. With the introduction of new legislation by the Scottish Executive and Westminster, it has been something of a hot topic recently. As the generation gap widens many young people feel under attack from the authorities whereas the older generation can feel uneasy about the behaviour of younger people. Socially acceptable behaviour has been changing for decades however, so this new legislation is designed to stem the tide of crime associated with this change. Most crime in this category is petty but over a prolonged period of time can bring misery to local residents and degenerate a previously pleasant neighbourhood. Anti-social behaviour varies from area to area, between day and night, and day to day. To reduce the escalation from the petty crime that starts as anti-social behaviour the police have new powers to deal with perpetrators earlier. What is anti-social behaviour? The Anti-Social Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 formally defines anti-social 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.” Conduct can include: Noise Using & selling drugs Unkempt Gardens (e.g. those which attract dumping of goods, creating ‘eyesores’) Alcohol and solvent abuse Criminal behaviour Prostitution Verbal abuse Uncontrolled pets and animals Intimidating gatherings of young people in public places Harassment (including racist & homophobic incidents) Damage to property (including graffiti & vandalism) Intimidation Nuisance from vehicles (including parking & abandonment) Nuisance from business use Rubbish dumping and misuse of communal areas Riding/cycling on footpaths Aggressive begging From the Home Office Crime Reduction Website Advice How should anti social behaviour be dealt with? The Home Office recommends a two way process: “No single agency can tackle such a complex issue in isolation. Everyone in the community has to make a commitment to standing up to antisocial behaviour, whoever they are – teachers, young people, parents, police officers, local business owners… As a member of the general public, that can mean: Getting to know your neighbours or joining a neighbourhood watch scheme Reporting antisocial behaviour to the right people Making sure you know where your children are and what they’re doing Keeping the outside your house tidy Putting rubbish in bins or taking it to the dump Looking after your pets properly Respecting the rights of the people in your community Not allowing antisocial behaviour to make you fearful of crime Reclaiming public spaces for positive uses And getting to know your responsibilities as well as your rights… FAQ 1. I used to live in a quiet neighbourhood but now there are gangs of kids hanging about drinking. They are quite intimidating. What can I do to feel safer without antagonising them? There is new legislation and police powers to deal with this kind of situation. Calling the police is one way of getting them moved on but it won’t necessarily help in the long term as them may just come back at a later time. On the other hand, most teenagers just want to be left in peace to hang around with their friends so if they find it is a hassle in your area they may well move on. If you want to do something more positive to change the situation then it may be worth finding out what facilities are available for young people in your area. If there isn’t much then why not try lobbying your local councillor, community council and MP to change this situation. If you want to go further you could start up a project yourself to give diversionary activities to young people in the area. 2. I think my child is taking drugs. What do I do? Most children will at some point or other experiment with drugs. For the majority it is the unknown and forbidden aspect that attracts them. Try and talk openly with your child about the subject to dispel the mysterious aspect. Give them the facts and educate them about the affects they might experience. Include the bad possibilities along with the good. If they feel they need an emotional lift then try and talk to your child about what is making them feel this way. Again, most teenagers suffer from depression at some time due to the number of changes they are going through. If you can be there for them and support them they may not feel the need to turn to drugs. You should also know that drug use and drug dependency are not necessarily the same thing: If you feel your child is taking occasional drugs then you shouldn’t expect to be able to stop them. It is seen by many, especially their peers, to be socially acceptable so it may be hard to convince them that it’s wrong. Trying too hard to force your child to stop may have the adverse effect of making them more determined to rebel and carry on. If however, you feel your child is becoming dependant on drugs, you might want to seek medical attention. The symptoms of drug dependency are varied but may include: withdrawal symptoms, changes in behaviour, mood swings etc. However, it is important to also remember that children’s behaviour often changes as they reach puberty and it cannot be assumed that the cause is drugs. If you need to seek medical help though then start with your GP as they will have lots of advice. Further information can also be gained from the website www.KnowTheScore.info 3. Why is begging included as anti-social behaviour? Street begging can be a professional operation as well as a desperate last act. The majority that wish to give would rather donate money to charities that help the homeless and impoverished. Whilst some people may feel uncomfortable due to their conscience this is deemed acceptable but aggressive begging, which has become a problem in some areas, can scare the victim and needs to be stopped. In Aberdeen it is proposed that a by-law be brought in to ban street begging altogether. The perception of safety in a particular area can be affected by the number of beggars on the street. 4. I allowed my teenager to have the occasional drink but now he’s started going out with his friends all the time and comes home in a terrible state. What can I do? Today’s society is a binge drinker’s one. As with drugs, it is seen as a socially norm to go out with the aim of getting as drunk as possible. Police crack down on underage drinking as much as possible but with the number of bars and off-licences outnumbering staff it is difficult to police. It is therefore up to parents to educate their children about the dangers of binge drinking. Many young people don’t realise that too much alcohol can paralyse the lungs, let alone increase the chances of being in a fight and getting injured. Speak to you child about the increased dangers from excessive drinking, short and long term. 5. I want to help the homeless but I don’t want to be pressed into it by people on the street. What else can I do to help? There’s plenty that you can do. Making a donation is a good start but if you want to make more of a commitment, why not think about volunteering? Charities, hostels and out reach programmes all need support. See Links at the end of the page for Charities which operate in Aberdeen, Scotland and the nationally across the UK. 6. There’s a lot of graffiti in my community. Why do the council not do anything to stop it? First off they need to know it’s happening. To let them know contact the Environment & Infrastructure Department.(Aberdeen 522000). Secondly, there are many different techniques currently used to tackle graffiti ranging from graffiti proof walls to youth diversion. If the problem is persistent then contact your local police station and talk to the community or neighbourhood wardens about what can be done to improve the situation.