Aldous: Victims of anti-social behaviour should not be forced to suffer in silence

Waveney MP Peter Aldous has welcomed new powers to tackle the scourge of anti-social behaviour.

The government has published new plans to ensure victims of anti-social behaviour should have crimes they report acted on immediately.

Complex red tape will be trimmed to give police and other local agencies relevant, lasting and efficient powers to crack down on problems.

Official figures from HMIC show that 68 per cent of people reporting ASB to police have done so more than once, usually regarding the same problem. It was also found that some people don’t bother to report ASB as they have little faith in anything being done.

Local police and other agencies will be given a set of six new fast and flexible powers to make the message clear: anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated.

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.

Peter Aldous said:
“Anti-social behaviour can blight the lives of hard working people who play by the rules. But this crime often goes unreported because the existing measures to deal with it simply don't work. The new powers announced by the government sweep away the failed measures of the past and at last give our local police and agencies the tools they need to stamp out antisocial behaviour for good.”

Home Secretary Theresa May said:

“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 and other agencies 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 scrutiny by Parliament. Victims and frontline practitioners will be involved in shaping the new legislation which will replace ten years of confusing and complex legislation. We want to we deliver effective laws that last for a generation.

The White Paper builds on the reforms already underway to fundamentally change the way crime and disorder is dealt with and the relationship between the public, the police and local and central government. The introduction of directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) later this year and the publication of local crime data online, including ASB, is making policing more accountable and responsive to local concerns.