Anti- Social Behaviour
Anti-social behaviour is a problem for many local communities, since local shops are often at the very heart of these communities, often suffer disproportionately. This is why ACS is calling for shop crime to be a key consideration in anti-social policy, including ASBOs.
ACS made a submission to the anti-social behaviour unit in January 2007.
Read the full text of the submission here: anti- social behaviour submission
Engagement with local crime prevention partnerships can help reduce anti-social behaviour. Please go to our Crime Prevention Advice section for further information.
Engaging Communities in Criminal Justice
ACS has also responded to a consultation by the Criminal Justice System entitled Engaging Communities in Criminal Justice. The purpose of this consultation is to seek ways in which communities can have an input into the sentencing process.
One suggestion in the consultation, which ACS supports, is that communities should be able to submit a Community Impact Statement to the courts during sentencing. This could be particularly beneficial in tackling anti-social behaviour, since the courts will have a statement explaining the cumulative impact of the actions on an entire community.
The consultation also looks at different options for community sentencing. In particular making community sentencing more effective by increasing the amount of time offenders can spend per week on community punishment and using high visibility clothing to denote Community PayBack schemes. It also looks more in depth at using problem solving such as drug and alcohol rehabilitation schemes. ACS also supports the proposal to allow communities to nominate schemes in their locality as possible community sentencing.
Download the consultation response here: Engaging Communities in Criminal Justice
ACS will keep members updated to any official response.