The government published a Bill to tackle environmental crime and anti-social behaviour. The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill contained a package of measures to give local authorities and the Environment Agency more powers to deal with fly-tippers and litter droppers.
Source: Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | DEFRA press release | DCMS press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Dec
A report said that the courts were sending people to prison for breaching the terms of anti-social behaviour orders, even though the original offences involved did not carry a prison sentence. It also said that there were wide variations in practices around the country.
Source: Anti Social Behaviour Orders: Analysis of the first six years, National Association of Probation Officers (020 7223 4887)
Links: Report (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Dec
An official advisory body voiced its concern that fear of anti-social behaviour was leading to the creation of a 'fortified urban environment'. It had been found that community groups estimated that 31 per cent of parks suffered from unacceptably high levels of vandalism and behaviour-related problems.
Source: Preventing Anti-social Behaviour in Public Spaces, Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (020 7960 2400)
Links: Policy statement (pdf) | CABE press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Nov
The government responded to two reports by a committee of MPs on environmental crime.
Source: Government Responses to the Committee's Sixth Report, Session 2003-04, on Environmental Crime and the Courts, and to the Ninth Report, Session 2003-04, on Fly-tipping, Fly-posting, Litter, Graffiti and Noise, Sixth Special Report (Session 2003-04), HC 1232, House of Commons Environmental Audit Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Responses | Sixth report | Ninth report
Date: 2004-Nov
A think-tank pamphlet called for local councillors to play a bigger role in the fight against anti-social behaviour.
Source: Louise Casey, Families in Focus, and Emily Robinson, New Localism in Action: Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour, New Local Government Network (020 7357 0051)
Links: Pamphlet (pdf) | NLGN press release
Date: 2004-Nov
Researchers found that parents with a history of anti-social behaviour were significantly more likely than other parents to engage in two or more types of problematic child-rearing behaviour.
Source: Jeffrey Johnson, Elizabeth Smailes, Patricia Cohen, Stephanie Kasen and Judith Brook, 'Anti-social parental behaviour, problematic parenting and aggressive offspring behaviour during adulthood', British Journal of Criminology, Volume 44 Number 6
Links: Abstract
Date: 2004-Nov
Plans for a Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill were included in the government s legislative programme for the Parliamentary year 2004-05 (Queen's Speech). The Bill would tackle fly-tipping, litter, abandoned vehicles, and other anti-social behaviour.
Source: House of Lords Hansard, Queen's Speech 23 November 2004, columns 1-4, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 25 November 2004, columns 246-330, TSO
Links: Text of Speech | Lords Hansard | Commons Hansard | LGA press release | ENCAMS press release
Date: 2004-Nov
The government announced new powers for parish councils to issue fixed penalty notices for anti-social and environmental crime. It also said that civil courts would be given new powers to order drug treatment for individuals issued with an anti-social behaviour order. The government simultaneously released the results of a survey showing the use made by local authorities, agencies and police of powers in the 2003 Anti-social Behaviour Act: 5,383 acceptable behaviour contracts were made in the 12 months between October 2003 and September 2004.
Source: Press release 28 October 2004, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Home Office press release | NACRO press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Oct
A report set out case studies of how local councils had used innovative thinking and partnership working to tackle anti-social behaviour. It said that a balance was needed between short-term sanctions, such as anti-social behaviour orders, and longer-term preventative measures and rehabilitation.
Source: Sustainable Solutions to Anti-social Behaviour: Local government s joined-up approaches to tackling anti-social behaviour, Local Government Association (020 7664 3000)
Links: Report (pdf) | LGA press release | Community Care report
Date: 2004-Oct
A report examined answers given to a new set of questions on anti-social behaviour in the 2003-04 British Crime Survey. Over three-quarters (76 per cent) of respondents perceived one or more of 16 types of behaviour to be a problem. Speeding traffic was the most commonly mentioned problem behaviour. Impact on behaviour, including the use of public space, was widespread even for people who had not personally experienced problems.
Source: Martin Wood, Perceptions and Experience of Antisocial Behaviour: Findings from the 2003/2004 British Crime Survey, Online Report 49/04, Home Office (web publication only)
Links: Report (pdf) | Findings (pdf)
Date: 2004-Oct
Teenage gang members who were named and shamed under anti-social behaviour orders lost a High Court case in which they had claimed that widespread publicity had breached their human rights.
Source: The Guardian, 8 October 2004
Links: Guardian report | Times report
Date: 2004-Oct
The Welsh Assembly Government published research on the use of introductory and starter tenancies. (The Housing Act 1996 provided local authorities with the power to introduce introductory or starter tenancies to help them deal with anti-social behaviour, through an easier and quicker means of possession during a tenant's first 12 months of occupancy.)
Source: Evaluating the Use of Introductory and Starter Tenancies, HRR 3/04, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2004-Oct
Penal reform campaigners called for the abolition of anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) for children. In a submission to MPs, they suggested that resources should be put into activities for children that engaged them in positive and constructive ways - rather than using ASBOs that isolated, excluded and stigmatized them.
Source: Inquiry into Anti-social Behaviour: Critique of the government s response, Howard League for Penal Reform (020 7249 7373)
Links: Submission (Word file) | HLPR press release
Date: 2004-Sep
The government announced ten anti-social behaviour 'trailblazer' areas, which would run intensive parenting programmes to deal with those families and children most at risk of anti-social behaviour. The programmes would use a combination of parenting orders, injunctions and anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) alongside supervision; where necessary, behaviour would be tackled in a residential setting. 'Anti-social' families who had been evicted by their landlords would be sent on residential courses before they were allowed to be rehoused. In addition, from the end of October 2004 intensive professional fostering would be piloted with foster care providers; the pilots would target the most disaffected, disengaged and excluded young people where their home environment was a factor in their offending behaviour. The government also announced legislation to make it easier for the media to report breaches of ASBOs by children and young people under 18.
Source: Press release 29 September 2004, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Home Office press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Sep
Civil liberty campaigners expressed concern at an 'increasing reliance' on anti-social behaviour orders. 'Indiscriminate and excessive' use of the powers was undermining any benefit they might bring.
Source: Evidence to the Home Affairs Committee on Anti-Social Behaviour, Liberty (020 7403 3888)
Links: Submission (pdf)
Date: 2004-Sep
The government released figures showing an acceleration in the rate at which anti-social behaviour orders were being granted. More than 2,400 orders had been issued across England and Wales since they were introduced in 1999: but of these 1,323 had been taken out in the year to March 2004.
Source: Press release 31 August 2004, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Home Office press release
Date: 2004-Aug
A report argued that socially excluded young people from disadvantaged communities were often the victims of a 'no ball games' culture, and lacked activities to keep them entertained and away from anti-social behaviour.
Source: No Ball Games? Getting young people back into education, employment and training, Prince's Trust (020 7543 1234)
Links: Prince's Trust press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Aug
A report set out possible methods for defining and measuring anti-social behaviour at local level, and sources of information that could be drawn upon for this purpose. It set out a range of approaches and some of the potential strengths and weaknesses of each.
Source: Defining and Measuring Anti-social Behaviour, Development and Practice Report 26, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Aug
The government began consultation on a tough new approach to anti-social environmental offences, such as fly-tipping, graffiti, fly-posting, and abandoned vehicles.
Source: Clean Neighbourhoods: Consultation document, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (08459 556000)
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | DEFRA press release | ENCAMS press release | LGA press release
Date: 2004-Jul
A report by a committee of MPs said that the war on 'local environmental blight' had to be mainstreamed within local authorities. Co-operation within and between councils had to improve, and also between national government and its agencies and those that acted on a more limited geographical basis. Action against local environmental degradation was linked in many ways to the anti-social behaviour agenda.
Source: Environmental Crime: Fly-tipping, fly-posting, litter, graffiti and noise, Ninth Report (Session 2003-04), HC 445, House of Commons Environmental Audit Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | LGA press release
Date: 2004-Jul
The Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 was given Royal assent. The Act provided a comprehensive range of measures designed to tackle anti-social behaviour.
Source: Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: SE press release | Guidance consultation
Date: 2004-Jul
The Scottish Parliament approved the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Bill. The Bill provided a comprehensive range of measures designed to tackle anti-social behaviour. Campaigners said the Bill fed the prejudice that it was only council tenants who were responsible for the problem.
Source: Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Bill, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566) | Press release 17 June 2004, Shelter Scotland (0131 473 7170)
Links: Text of Bill (pdf) | SE press release | Shelter press release
Date: 2004-Jun
A private member's Bill was introduced to extend the powers of community support officers, particularly regarding the confiscation of alcohol. The officers would have the power of arrest in clearly defined circumstances, initially in pilot areas.
Source: Wayne David MP, Anti-social Behaviour Bill, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 29 June 2004, columns 158-160, TSO
Links: Hansard
Date: 2004-Jun
The government announced plans to introduce anti-social behaviour orders in Northern Ireland. Police, district councils or the Northern Ireland Housing Executive would be able to apply to a magistrate for an order against anyone destroying property or harassing their neighbours. Orders would not be used to tackle sectarian violence. But the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People applied for a judicial review of the consultation process on the proposed legislation.
Source: Proposal for a Draft Anti-Social Behaviour (Northern Ireland) Order 2004, Northern Ireland Office (028 9052 0700)
Links: Proposal (pdf) | NIO press release | NICCY press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-May
A report by a committee of MSPs endorsed the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Bill as part of the Scottish Executive's strategy to tackle the 'persistent and unacceptable' levels of antisocial behaviour which affected many communities in Scotland. Children's organisations expressed concerns that the approach being followed would fail to address the underlying causes of such behaviour.
Source: Stage 1 Report on Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Bill, 1st Report 2004, SP Paper 104, Scottish Parliament Communities Committee, TSO (0870 606 5566) | Briefing: Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Bill, Abelour Child Care Trust (0131 669 5190) and others
Links: Report | Briefing (pdf) | Shelter press release
Date: 2004-Mar
A report outlined the results of a series of discussions between leading practitioners, academic experts and policy makers about the scope for early intervention and prevention of anti-social behaviour.
Source: Carole Sutton, David Utting and David Farrington (eds.), Support from the Start: Working with young people and their families to reduce the risks of crime and anti-social behaviour, Research Report 524, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2004-Mar
The government issued regulations and associated guidance on parenting orders and contracts for criminal or anti-social behaviour, and in relation to school truancy and exclusions. The measures applied in England and Wales from 27 February 2004. Teachers expressed concern over powers to issue on-the-spot fines to parents of truanting children.
Source: The Magistrates' Courts (Parenting Orders) Rules 2004, Statutory Instrument 2004/247, TSO (0870 600 5522) | Parenting Orders and Contracts for Criminal or Anti-social Behaviour, Home Office (0870 000 1585), Department for Constitutional Affairs, and Youth Justice Board for England and Wales | Guidance on Education-Related Parenting Contracts, Parenting Orders and Penalty Notices, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260) | Press release 27 February 2004, Association of Teachers and Lecturers (020 7930 6441)
Links: Statutory Instrument | Home Office guidance (pdf) | DfES guidance (pdf) | DfES press release | ATL press release | NASUWT press release | NFPI press release | Guardian report | Observer feature
Date: 2004-Feb