Victims of antisocial behaviour (ASB) are to get better information and access to support as the government continues to implement its Plan for Change and cracks down on ASB in local communities.
The move will please retailers and stores blighted by crime and more, and should hopefully offer a more appropriate service that can meet their needs.
At present, when victims of antisocial behaviour believe their case is not being dealt with appropriately by the relevant agencies like councils and police, they can ask that their case is reviewed through the ASB case review mechanism.
Now, the government is to review the statutory guidance on the current system designed to protect victims, to make ASB case reviews more accessible and effective for those victims who need it. It will also recommend independent chairs oversee case reviews so that victims feel confident their case will be dealt with fairly and objectively, while victims will be given one person to turn to rather than dealing with multiple agencies.
A new victims’ code will be published later this year that will make clear that victims of criminal antisocial behaviour fall within the scope of the code, including an entitlement to expect to be able to access support services.
Minister for Crime and Policing, Dame Diana Johnson, said: “For victims of antisocial behaviour, the impact on their lives can be devastating, but for too long their needs have not been met, with varied levels of support and poor access to information.
“These changes will help ensure that the needs of victims are at the forefront of how police and local authorities respond to antisocial behaviour and are another vital step in our mission to deliver safer streets, as part of our Plan for Change.”
To improve how the police identify and respond to persistent antisocial behaviour and the harm it causes, new bespoke training for neighbourhood officers is to be included in the Neighbourhood Policing Pathway programme. This follows the government’s commitment for every force to have a dedicated antisocial behaviour lead to work with local communities to tackle the issue under the new Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.
The guarantee will see the restoration of visible police patrols, an additional 13,000 police officers, PCSOs and special constables in dedicated neighbourhood policing roles and a named officer for every community to turn to.
New respect orders are also to be introduced through the Crime and Policing Bill which will enable agencies and courts to place tough restrictions on the behaviour of persistent antisocial behaviour offenders, with tough enforcement and sentencing options if orders are breached.
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