What is Anti-Social Behaviour?

The spectrum of anti-social behaviour is very wide and its effect can greatly reduce the quality of life of residents.

Measuring and defining what anti-social behaviour is can be very problematic. Therefore the audit has looked at several sources of information to capture and complete a picture of anti-social behaviour.

Based on the data sources, which includes residents' concerns, the partnership will focus on three categories of anti-social behaviour. These are:

• youth nuisance
• criminal damage

• arson

Youth Nuisance

Working to reduce youth nuisance is closely linked to the Prevent and Deter area of the Prolific and Priority Offenders section of the Crime, Disorder and Substance Misuse Strategy.

This area focuses on targeting individuals who are the most persistently anti-social in their behaviour. These people pose the greatest threat to the safety and confidence of their local communities. The strategy offers them a range of supportive interventions to change their behaviour.

Young Victims of Crime

Young people not only commit crime but they also are victims of it.

The audit showed that young people accounted for around 9% of all victims, with the number of young victims increasing over the audit period. Violence against the person and theft are the most common offences.