Tackling and reducing anti-social behaviour
How you can stop anti-social behaviour ruining your life
Anti-social behaviour, in all its forms, has the ability to blight the lives of residents of Barnet. But the council is working with a number of its partners to limit the incidence of anti-social behaviour and lessen its impact.
The term 'anti-social behaviour', or ASB, can be loosely described as any actions that could cause harassment, alarm or distress to another person, and there are many methods the council, and more widely the Barnet Safer Communities Partnership (BSCP), can use to combat these types of problems wherever they arise.
What should I do if I am being victimised?
The support of the community is vital in identifying and reporting people who cause anti-social behaviour and, in some cases, providing evidence to assist BSCP in efforts to prevent anti-social behaviour continuing. This information is just as important after an ASBO has been granted so that any breaches are properly dealt with by the Court.
It is the aim of BSCP to make the borough of Barnet a safer place. The use of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders is one of the means by which it is hoped that anti-social behaviour can be tackled successfully. If you are, or have recently been, the victim of anti-social behaviour, you are strongly advised to report this to your local police, Barnet Council, or your landlord (if your home is provided by a Housing Association). If the anti-social acts continue, please keep a diary of the events that you witness. Detail as much information about the incident(s) and the person(s) involved as possible, including dates and times and the effect the behaviour had on you. You can obtain forms for this from the council or the Police. You may find that your neighbours are experiencing similar behaviour. If so, they should also be encouraged to report any incidents and to keep a diary of events that they have witnessed.
To contact the borough's anti-social behaviour co-ordinator, call 020 8733 4498.
How does the BSCP respond to allegations of anti-social behaviour?
The BSCP has increased powers to deal with problems since the introduction of the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill 2003, and is now able to tackle issues such as properties being used to sell Class A drugs, the closure of noisy commercial premises such as pubs and clubs and the dispersal of intimidating groups.
Allegations of anti-social behaviour by an individual or individuals are investigated by officers based in the Safer Communities team, and the first action the team can take is a letter to parents, for alleged offenders under 18, or a warning letter to those over 18.
If bad behaviour continues, the team can impose an Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC) - which is negotiated by the offender and the Safer Communities team.
The final stage, if the ABC is broken, is an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO). The Safer Communities team must apply to magistrates for an ASBO to be granted. ASBOs last between two and five years, and can ban the offender from entering a certain area or associating with certain people - working in a similar way to an injunction.
If an ASBO is breached, the offender can face a fine and/or a maximum of five years in prison.
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